MORE THAN a decade after its discovery in the forests of Mt. Madja-as in Antique, a rare flowering plant continues to serve as a quiet but lasting homage to the late Pope Francis.
The plant, Hedyotis papafranciscoi, was first identified in 2014 by UST botanist Prof. Grecebio Jonathan Alejandro and his undergraduate students during a field expedition.
READ: Newly discovered plant named after the Pope
Alejandro said the species was named in honor of Pope Francis as the College of Science’s symbolic gift for the pontiff’s then-anticipated visit to the University in 2015.
Delicate with white petals, H. papafranciscoi reflects the late pontiff’s purity and humility, Alejandro said.
“The purity of the flower struck me,” Alejandro, who now heads the Office for Graduate Research, told the Varsitarian. “It was very appropriate for Pope Francis, and we know how pure he is in terms of his work.”
“It’s a good memory of him. He might be physically absent from us, but the good works he did will always linger in our hearts and memories. He’s the people’s Pope.”
Known for forgoing ornate papal garments in favor of a plain white cassock throughout his 12-year pontificate, Pope Francis projected an image of simplicity that Alejandro said mirrors the rare plant.
H. papafranciscoi blooms in April and is distinguished by an unusual flowering habit. Unlike other species in the Hedyotis genus, which produce clusters of flowers at the tips of stems, this plant flowers along nearly every leaf axil.
The species was formally documented in a study published by the UST Graduate School’s The Antoninus Journal on Feb. 21, 2015.
Titled “A new endemic species of Philippine Hedyotis L. (Rubiaceae) named after Pope Francis,” the paper officially recognized the species, which grows in open areas of secondary forest between 200 and 300 meters above sea level.
But 11 years since it was found, the plant remains endangered.
“Endangered siya,” Alejandro said. “If we collected it and planted it here, we don’t have space in the Botanical Garden. And usually, pag bumaha sa atin, mawawala yung halaman. And we don’t have a greenhouse in UST.”
Alejandro said naming the plant after Pope Francis was especially appropriate in light of his strong environmental stance, pointing to “Laudato Si,” the pontiff’s second encyclical released a year after the species was found.
In it, the Pope urged renewed care for creation and stressed that protecting the environment is just as essential as upholding life, practicing charity, advancing justice, and living morally.
“He had a heart for protecting the environment, not just the family and the people,” Alejandro said.
“That’s my advocacy, too. We have a lot of dwindling species — not just plants but also animals — because of human actions, climate change, and the state of nature we have now. We need to protect our environment better.” with reports from Jenna Mariel A. Gonzales.
