LOS BAÑOS, Laguna – A local plant species has been named after a scientist in Los Baños, Laguna for his significant contributions to Philippine biodiversity.
The Haya buotii kloppenburg has been named in honor of Dr. Inocencio Buot Jr., an associate professor at the Institute of Biological Science of the University of the Philippines- Los Baños’ College of Arts and Sciences.
Common names for haya are waxplant, waxvine, waxflower or simply haya.
Haya is a genus of 200 to 230 species of tropical climbing plants belonging to the family Apocynaceae (Gentianales asterids) following the Angicaperm Phylogeny Group (2003).
Buot is a fellow of the government-sponsored Los Baños-based Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization-Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEAMEO-SEARCA), currently headed by director Arsenio Balicasan.
The UPLB scientist earned his Master of Science degree in Botany from the university in 1987 as a scholar of SEARCA.
Haya buotii kloppenburg was discovered in the wilderness of Mt. Banahaw, the mystical mountain in the Sierra Madre mountain range.