Rare jade vine discovered thriving in Apayao forest

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Deep inside the forests of northern Apayao, a plant many Filipinos know only from coins and botanical gardens has revealed itself where it matters most: in the wild.

The plant was documented in the forested areas of Barangay Tanglagan and Langnao in Calanasan during an on-site assessment by the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) on February 4.

While the plant belongs to the genus Strongylodon and is commonly called to as jade vine or tayabak, final species-level identification, whether Strongylodon macrobotrys or a closely related species like S. caeruleus, requires botanical verification through herbarium comparison.

For environmental officers, the discovery is more than a botanical curiosity. It is a quiet but powerful sign that parts of Calanasan’s forests remain healthy, undisturbed, and full of wildlife needed to sustain rare endemic species.

The jade vine is endemic to the Philippines, meaning it grows naturally nowhere else in the world. It is best known for its striking, claw-shaped flowers that hang in long clusters, shifting in color from blue-green to deep jade. These cascading blooms can reach nearly a meter in length, making the plant one of the most visually distinctive vines in tropical forests.

Because of habitat loss and forest degradation, botanists consider the species rare and threatened in the wild, even though it is sometimes cultivated in botanical gardens and private collections.

Its image appears on the Philippine five-peso coin, a small but symbolic reminder of the country’s unique natural heritage.

What makes the jade vine especially vulnerable is its dependence on fruit bats for pollination. Unlike many flowering plants that rely on insects, Strongylodon macrobotrys evolved alongside nocturnal bats, which transfer pollen as they feed on nectar at night.

This means the plant can only survive in forests where bat populations are intact and human disturbance is minimal. Artificial pollination is difficult, and without bats, the vine cannot reproduce naturally.

MENRO noted that the jade vines in Tanglagan and Langnao were found growing in undisturbed sections of forest, alongside other native vegetation, an encouraging sign of ecological balance.

“The presence of jade vine tells us that the forest here is still functioning as it should,” environmental officers said, highlighting the interconnectedness of plants, wildlife, and habitat.

MENRO also clarified a common misconception: the jade vine is not harmful to touch. It should not be confused with Mucuna pruriens, known locally as sabáwil, a different plant that causes intense itching due to tiny hairs on its pods.

While harmless, the jade vine should never be cut or collected from the wild. Removing it disrupts fragile ecosystems and further threatens a species already limited in distribution.

For Calanasan, the discovery is both affirmation and warning. It affirms that strong forest protection efforts matter, but it also underscores how easily such rare species could disappear if logging, land conversion, or wildlife loss accelerates.

MENRO urged residents and trekkers to report sightings of jade vine for documentation and monitoring, and to leave the plants untouched.

In a country recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot, and a global biodiversity loss hotspot as well, the quiet bloom of the jade vine in Apayao is a reminder that protection works, but only if it continues. – Rappler.com