Flora De Filipinas: A Short Overview of Philippine Plant Lore

The Philippines boasts a treasure trove of collected folklore through the tireless efforts of (among others) Dr. Maximo D. Ramos, Isabelo Delos Reyes, and Damiana Eugenio.  Their seminal work enables us to have a glimpse into the deep, colorful richness of our culture. Besides the tales of heroes and mythical creatures, our nation has an incredible plant lore that shouldn’t be overlooked. Fortunately, it was documented in one of the earliest encyclopedia-like records of plants here in the Philippines.

Flora De Filipinas by Fr. Manuel Blanco is a compendium of various herbs and flowers found in the Philippines. But it doesn’t end with scientific names and a general description. Fr. Blanco’s dedication in creating this important work allows us to see how these plants were used by our ancestors in medicine, industry and arts. Moreover, there are snippets of tales surrounding them which emphasize our ancestor’s veneration to nature as the penultimate source of their needs; implying how strong animistic beliefs were in the region.

The Priest Who Fell In Love With Plants

The Augustinian priest Fr. Manuel Blanco, though a man of faith and religion, had a very keen interest in botanical science. His fascination with plants became greatly focused on Philippine flora. In order for him to complete a comprehensive study on this subject, he mastered the Tagalog language when he was assigned to work in Angat, Bulacan. His biographers stated that besides his sheer love of Philippine plant lore, Fr. Blanco drove himself to study herbs and flowers in hopes of offering alternative and effective remedies to his parishioners.

The first edition of Fr. Blanco’s Flora De Filipinas was widely criticized due to the lack of illustration. On the later editions, 17 artists were hired to remedy this – 12 Filipinos and 5 Spanish. The compendium was further improved by adding more details on the the medicinal properties of the plants and expanding on their morphology. In addition to this, Tagalog, Bisaya, Ilocano and other regional names were added.  Perhaps the most interesting inclusion was the local ‘alamat’ or legends associated with particular Philippine flora.

Besides the invaluable study of culture, flora and fauna, Fr. Blanco also left behind a curious mystery.  After his passing, a voluminous book titled El Indio was found on the priest’s bookshelves. Known for his superior observation, his colleagues believed that this book could hold countless more observations learned from Filipinos. Yet they were surprised when they found that the book was filled with nothing but blank pages. Wenceslao Retana (a 19th-century Spanish civil servant, colonial administrator, writer, biographer, and political commentator) stated on his recount of the said mystery that perhaps Fr. Blanco came to the conclusion that the Filipino are best described as a blank book; undefined and indescribable.

Flora Within the Pearl of the Orient Seas

The fourth edition of Flora De Filipinas is now one of the rarest historical books in the Philippines. Fortunately, some of the remaining copies are still found at the San Augustine convent in Intramuros. Fifth edition copies are now being sold in different bookstore around Manila. For those who are interested, here are some of the plants that are documented:

Tungkod Pari ( Cordyline Fruticosa): Known as Ti Plant in English and locally called Dongla, these plants are one of the most common ornamental plants that you will see in someone’s garden. According to the notes of Blanco, our ancestors loved this plants because of its “showy foliage”. One of its distinct features is how the elongated and slender leaves have two colors; underneath it is red while above it is green. This plant’s roots are known to have curative properties for diarrhea.

What makes Tungkod Pari even more interesting is its spiritual usage. The Ifugao consider this plant sacred and have it planted around their terraces to drive away evil spirits away and to ensure that their harvest will be bountiful. They also conduct rituals using the leaves.

Its red leaves were also known to be used as a war symbol. In addition, Ifugao men and women who attended a funeral dance called bangibang were often embellished with the red leaves from the Tungkod Pari. This peculiar dance was only done for those who died through violent means.

Makopang-Kalabaw (Syzygium malaccencis):  This fruit bearing tree is known by the natives simply as Makopa or Rosa Apple.  According to Blanco,  the fruit from this endemic tree has a rose smell that children loved despite its somewhat bland taste. Though it is widely known only for its fruits, in Moluccas it is used as an astringent mouthwash. Its bark can also be used for sore throats through the process decoction (boiling down). In Philippine folk medicine, it was also use against itches, fever and dysentery.

Their is a legend that narrates how Makopa came to be. In a village called Samtoy, there was once a magical bell that was given by an Anito (spirit) to the villagers. Each time the bell was rung, it summoned rain – even during periods of drought. Unfortunately, neighboring villages got jealous and planned to steal it. Apo Anong, a Samtay elder, caught wind of the plot and buried the bell deep in the forest.  Unfortunately, Anong was slaughtered during the ensuing raids before he could reveal where the bell was hidden. Years later, a young boy from Samtoy discovered a strange tree with fruit that resembled the bell.  The entire village turned up at the tree  and through sheer joy exclaimed “makopa” (many cups). One variation of the tale say they found the bell when digging around its roots, while others say the villagers transplanted the tree to their village.  In either case, the outcome was good fortune for the village.

 

Duhat (Syzygium jambolanum): The Java Plum, or better known by most barrio people as Lumboy, bears fruit like berries with a distinct taste that many love. Blanco noted that when the Visayans has run out of tobacco, they would smoke the Duhat leaves as an alternative. Besides the fruit, Duhat seeds are regarded as good for treating diabetes. Its bark decoction was used to wash wounds and prevent infection.  It was even documented as a gargle to ease ulcers in the mouth and on the gums.

Be careful when passing the Duhat tree because it is known as a common dwelling place for Engkantos  – especially the Pugot, or the headless priest. The mixture of Duhat, ginger, mansanitas bark, yantok, blood and makahiya leaves are used as an offering to the mandurugo, a known blood sucking creature of Philippine lower mythology that disguises herself in the day as a beautiful woman.

Anubing (Artocarpus cumingiana):  According to the notes of Blanco, this endemic tree known as Monkey Jackfruit was popular among early Filipinos. Its wood was used for the columns of their homes and was said to be decay free.

For medicinal purposes, the decoction from its bark was used to ease stomach pain, while its latex had potential to be used as an alternative ingredient for chewing gum. Some traditional medicine practitioners even use this plant as a purgative.

In a story documented by Friar Gaspar Agustin, a priest used the wood of the Anubing, taken from an old home, to make his cross, which was said to have miraculous power. This cross was erected in a place called Dingin, a barrio near the lake shore of present day Alitagtag. The cross was erected to protect the natives from a plague of spirits and the impending eruptions of the Taal Volcano. Later the cross was placed in present day Binukalan.

The miracles attributed to the cross attracted many devotees and a decision was made to move it to the bigger Bauan parish church. However, one priest tried to bring the cross to his church in the capital town of Taal but was prevented from doing so when “the sky became cloudy, and it began to thunder and emit dreadful lightning bolts”. Before its enshrinement in Bauan however, the cross had decreased in size because devotees had chipped away pieces of it for miniature replicas worn as necklace talismans.  Fr. Manuel de Zamora was also reported to have cut more than 1/3 from the foot of the cross into pieces and distributed it through Manila where a number of miracles were reported. What’s left is being venerated today in the Bauan church.

Limonsito (Triphasia Trifolia) – This citris tree is quite common in most barrios. Here in my province (Tarlac) we usually call it suwa or suha. In Blanco’s notes, Limonsito was prevalent in all parts of Manila.  Limonsito is a smooth shrub growing to a height of 2 meters. Its leaves have two sharp and slender spines at the base. Leaves have three leaflets, ovate to oblong-ovate, the terminal one 2 to 4 centimeters long; the lateral ones, smaller. Flowers are very short-stalked, white, fragrant exuding a scent of orange blossoms, and about 1 centimeter long. Fruit is ovoid, fleshy and red, somewhat resinous, about 12 millimeters long.

Besides its edible fruit, it also has medicinal properties such as its leaves can be converted and used in an aroma therapy bath. Its sweetened fruits are known to be used for treating chest diseases as well as a cough or sore throat.

In other parts of the Philippines, Limonsito is considered a protective charm for pregnant woman against evil spirits and witches that might target their unborn child.

Talong Punay (Datura Metel): This very curious plant possesses the English name Devil’s Trumpet. According to the notes of Blanco,  Talong Punay is used to treat cankers and with the right (or wrong) dosage is actually narcotic. If its leaves are smoked, it is said to ease an asthma attack. Its trumpet shaped flower was also smoked like a cigarette and said to induce hallucinations. Over use in this manner can cause extreme poisoning. When the flower is mixed with wine, it can also act as an anesthetic.

Despite its intriguing properties, Talong Punay is primarily used as a decorative plant due to its ornamental flowers.

Beyond Leaves and Petals

Reading through the book of Fr. Blanco is a great treat for any Filipino who wishes to expand their knowledge on the different plants and herbs that have existed in our country for generations; providing much of the medicinal and spiritual needs of our ancestors. Through this compendium, I have gained a new appreciation for even the most common plants  – the ones I had previously never given a second thought to. I was also surprised to learn about some of the rarer species of fauna that served an important purpose to our forefathers. Though originally this book is a scientific exploration, I can’t stress how important it is as a cultural document that details the relationship of nature and early Filipinos. For our current generation, it gives a clear view on how important our relationship with nature was in the past, and hopefully, how important it is in the present.

 

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