Stink lily grows in Lumbia

By Jorie C. Valcorza

Monday 21st of May 2012

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental, May 21 (PIA) -- A concerned phone call brought the biodiversity conservation drive into the limelight as a staff of DENR-10 was asked to investigate the foul smell emanating from a flower.

The phone call was from a local network concerning a strange looking and foul-smelling flower along the provincial road near barangay Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro City.

It was learned that flower was thought to be another Rafflesia schadenbergiana, a rare and endangered species. The investigation team from the Protected Areas, Wildlife and Coastal Zone Management Service (PAWCZMS) discovered that the flower is an elephant foot yam or the Amorphophallus paeoniifolius, which is sometimes called the stink lily.

The elephant foot yam is a tropical tuber crop that grows wild in the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and other Southeast Asian countries.

Also, the Protected Areas and Wildlife Division retrieved two juvenile Philippine scops owls in barangay Macasandig, Cagayan de Oro City. The Philippine scops owl (Otus megalotis) is a common owl, endemic to the Philippines.

It was ascertained that the juvenile raptors were taken by children from its nest in the trunk of a mango tree located at Barangay Macasandig. The owls are now being kept and cared for by DENR 10 at the Regional Wildlife Rescue Center. (g.thiam/ denr10.rpao/PIA 10)