Species Composition and Assessment of Zingiberaceae in the Forest Patches of Mt. Musuan, Bukidnon, Southern Philippines

Abstract

This study documented 11 species of gingers belonging to nine genera distributed in three tribes and two subfamilies from Mt. Musuan and its vicinity in Bukidnon, Southern Philippines. Data revealed that Zingiberaceae species in these sites constitute ca. 8% of the total number of Philippine Zingiberaceae. Alpinia haenkei C.Presl., A. purpurata (Vieill.) K.Schum., Curcuma zedoaria (Christm.) Roscoe, Etlingera philippinensis (Ridl.) R.M.Sm., Hornstedtia conoidea Ridl., Meistera muricarpa (Elmer) Škorničk. & M.F.Newman, and Zingiber zerumbet (L.) Smith. were recorded in Mt. Musuan, while Amomum dealbatum Roxb., Etlingera elatior (Jack) R.M.Sm., Hedychium coronarium Koenig, Hornstedtia conoidea Ridl., and Wurfbainia elegans (Ridl.) Škorničk. & A.D.Poulsen. were collected in CMU View Deck in Kibulawan. Of the collected species, five of these (3.52% endemicity compared to the total number of Philippine Zingiberaceae) are endemic to the Philippines, while the other six species are introduced. These species are mostly associated with fern species, such Dicranopteris linearis (Burm.f.) Underw. and Lygodium circinnatum (Burm.f.) Sw., and angiosperms Musa textilis and under the shades of dipterocarpaceae species. This paper is the first taxonomic report on Zingiberaceae in Mt. Musuan and vicinity which was not documented in the previous studies conducted at Philippine Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Sites. Since Mt. Musuan is not a protected area and an open site for ecotourism which is constantly visited by daily hikers, these species might be prone to depletion in their wild habitats. There is an urgent call for in situ conservation efforts that should be done by the concerned authorities of Central Mindanao University to help preserve and protect these ginger species.