New hybrid orchid named after Atienza

MANILA, Philippines – The man known for his signature floral-printed tops now has an orchid species named after him.

On the occasion of the International Day for Biological Biodiversity recently, orchid breeder Rolita Spowart and Dr. Mundita Lim, director of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB), turned over to Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza the hybrid flower with yellow-orange blossoms.

The launching and turnover ceremony was held at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center in Quezon City where the Plant Show and Philippine Fauna Exhibit was also showcased.

Spowart said she chose the particular hybrid — now called Spathoglottis Lito Atienza — because it stood out from the rest of thousands of hybrids she has bred.

“It has extraordinarily large flowers borne on fixed stems. The color, yellow-orange, is also much sought-after in orchids,” Spowart said.

“This orchid, like Secretary Lito Atienza, is a true Filipino, born and bred in the country,” she added. “And like him, this orchid has many unique and outstanding characteristics that make it worthy of being the foundation parent of the future.”

Atienza was thankful for the recognition. “I am deeply honored and humbled at the same time to have been given the honor of having the identity of this very beautiful, exotic, original and endemic type of flower that is truly a Filipino variety,” he said.

Atienza noted that the Philippines is endowed with many varieties of endemic species of flora compared to other countries.

He said the country has 15,000 species of flora, half of which are endemic.

Atienza said the Philippines is known to grow among the world’s most beautiful orchids with 141 genera and more than 1,000 species of the monocotyledon family. 

There are around 600 to 800 genera and 25,000 to 35,000 species of orchids known the world over. These are mostly found in tropical countries

The country’s most popular orchid is the waling-waling (Vanda sanderiana). – With Lucille Genine de la Cruz and Krzl Light Nunes