RARE LIVERWORT Treubia insignis was documented at Altut Tuna Peak in Sitio Datalfitak, Barangay Colonsabac, Matanao, Davao del Sur, expanding its known Mindanao localities.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), through the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Digos, provided technical assistance during a scientific expedition from July 3 to 8, 2026.
The expedition that documented the species involved bryologists from the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP), Central Mindanao University (CMU), Bukidnon State University (BukSU), and the California Academy of Sciences, with technical assistance from DENR-CENRO Digos.
DENR Davao said the sighting adds another locality to the growing record of Treubia insignis in Mindanao.
“The species is associated with shaded and humid riparian habitats within relatively intact forests, making its presence an important indicator of the ecological value of these montane and streamside ecosystems,” DENR Davao said in a press release.
The species was first recorded in the Philippines in 1913, when botanist D.H. Campbell collected a specimen from Mount Banahao in Luzon and remained the only documented occurrence of the species in the country for more than a century.
Additional populations were found in 2019 in Negros, followed by several localities in Mindanao, including Mt. Balatukan Range Natural Park in Misamis Oriental on January 19, 2023, and Mt. Kalatungan Range Natural Park in Bukidnon on February 7, 2023.
The team also documented more than 200 species of bryophytes within Altut Tuna Peak, with Treubia insignis described as the crown jewel of the collection.
DENR Davao underscored the site’s biodiversity and its potential importance as a habitat for rare species.
“Moving forward, the rediscovery of Treubia insignis at Altut Tuna Peak underscores the critical value of pairing academic exploration with regulatory expertise,” DENR Davao said.
DENR-CENRO Digos and the project bryologists will utilize the findings to formulate target recommendations for the Altut Tuna management and protection plan.
