Ethnobotanical survey in Philippine tropical rain forest : in search of new medicinal and useful gene resources

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(1997-academic year)A ethnobotanical survey was undertaken at the following sites in the island of Palawan, Province of Palawan, Republic of the Philippines.1. Surrounding Cleopatra needles in St. Paul Subterranean River National ParkCleopatra mountains are inhabited by the Tagbanuans, one of the native tribes in Palawan, who have long been utilizing native plants in various ways. The floristic survey was carried out under the guidance of tribal leaders extending from deep mountain forest, where one of the tropical gymnosperms Agathis occurs, to beach forest facing South China Sea. Informations on plant utilization were also collected, though on the limited basis, through the field survey. In order to carry out the survey of this district that can be accessed only on foot, the base camp was constructed in the rain forest along the Babuyan River.2.Surrounding mountains of the Ulugan BaySince vegetation of the mountain forests surrounding the Ulugan Bay are quite different from that of o … More ther tropical rain forests in Palawan, this district was selected as the site for botanization. These forests are characterized as not only lacking dipterocarps and sapotaceous trees which are common in southeast Asian rain forests but also consisting of relatively small sized trees (maximum height is less than 12 meters), far lower than the ordinary rain forest trees. This floristic and vegetation features can be ascribed to soils containing heavy metals such as chromite.3.Aborlan and its vicinityThe survey team interviewed a local medical healer at the Tagbanuan Village near Aborlan in order to make clear the real circumstances of what is called "pagdiwata", a traditional medicine practiced among the Tagbanuans, However, only limited informations on indigenous medical practice were available. The floristic survey in rain forest behind the local Tagbanuan community is thus carried out in order to clarify how the flora of the hinterland is correlated to the historical development of folk medicine. Collected plant specimens were subjected to identification process and many of them have been identified. However, significant number of samples still remain unidentified.(1998-academic year)1. the publishing of a research reportResearch results obtainedin the previous year were compiled in order to publish a research report under the close collaoration of all research participants including Philippine researchers. A research report includes a brief description of floristic and vegetation features in sites surveyed, a list of identified plants resulting from botanization process, and a photo list of selected plants that are of floristic interest.2.invitation of Philippine partnersln order to compile research results as a research report, two Philippine researchers were invited. The participation of these two foregin research members helped make the compiling process smoothe. Less