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Waling-waling Vanda sanderiana (Heinrich Gustav Reicheinback)

Description: THE EXOTIC waling-waling (Vanda sanderiana), which used to abound in the tropical forest of Mount Apo and its surrounding areas, is on the brink of extinction due to massive deforestation. ''The waling-waling is almost extinct in the wildlife,'' said Dr. Domingo Madulid, the National Museum's senior botanist. ''Rarer varieties of this plant can only be found in expensive nurseries.'' Recent surveys show that the waling-waling can be found in abundance no longer in the Philippines but in other countries, particularly Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong and Hawaii. It is the best orchid variety of the country, Madulid said. It is touted as the queen of Philippine flowers and is worshipped as ''diwata'' by the native Bagobos. In the 1950s, the ''systematic plunder'' of wild plants, including orchids, started. Madulid said that long before the country was sending maids to Singapore and Hong Kong, upland farmers had been despoiling the forests and selling rare orchid varieties, such as the waling-waling, abroad. Common Names: waling-waling Threats: Due to habitat destruction, the waling-waling has disappeared in the Davao gardens for almost a century. But thanks to Charita Puentespina, it has ''returned'' to its native home. Puentespina, then a neophyte orchidist, successfully pioneered in mass producing the waling-waling through embryo culture in 1985. Interesting Information: Conservation Efforts/Measures: Photograph Information: Courtesy of Jamo

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