Ethnobotanical Study and Conservation Status of Plants Used by the Tigwahanon-Manobo in Mt. Malimumu, San Fernando, Bukidnon, Philippines

Central Mindanao, Philippines, is a center of the cultural wealth knowledge and botanical resources in southern archipelago. However, traditional plant remain unexplored, most tribal communities undocumented. Manobo tribe one populated diverse country, including secluded Tigwahanon-Manobo community Mt. Malimumu, San Fernando, Bukidnon, Philippines. Hence, this study provides ethnobotanical information conservation status plants along 1-km transect walk Malimumu used by Tigwahanon-Manobo. A guided field with chieftains healer documented total 23 species 22 genera belonging to 20 families, which four species, namely Dillenia philippinensis Rolfe, Nepenthes cornuta Marwinski, Coritico, Wistuba, Micheler, Gronem., Gieray & V.B.Amoroso, truncata Macfarl., Pandanus mindanaensis Martelli, are Philippine endemics. Three Nepenthaceae, Melastomataceae, Rubiaceae, represented two each. Based on combined international (IUCN 2021) national (DENR DAO 2017-11) listing status, was assessed as Critically Endangered (Aquilaria malaccensis Lam.) another (N. truncata). Two were Vulnerable (Agathis Warb. N. cornuta) Near Threatened (D. philippinensis). Six identified Least Concern while rest not yet evaluated. This participatory research first for food medicine, well economic ecological uses needing protection their natural resources. Keywords: Conservation, Ethnobotany, Food plants, Indigenous, Medicinal Mindanao