RISE
Volume 33 No. 1 – January-June 2021
Kalumpang and Puhung
In the country, facts reveal that we have more than 3000 species of native trees. With regard to their distribution status, some of them are considered endemic or those that can only be found in the country, and the other are indigenous or those that can be found not only in the country but also in other specific biogeographic regions. Our native trees have indeed proven a lot of uses and potentials such as medicinal, wildlife habitat, sources of raw materials, carbon sink, food, conservation of soil and water and a lot more. As for their significant characteristics, they also have better adaptability to the existing environmental site conditions in the country and highly resistant to various pests and diseases.

This issue features a compilation of information on two important native forest tree species in the Philippines which are believed to have medicinal and other important economic values as cited by various authors. These species are Kalumpang (Sterculia foetida L.) and Puhung (Gmelina elliptica Sm.), which belong to families of angiosperms or flowering plants known as Malvaceae and Lamiaceae, respectively. Their medicinal uses (which can be considered as non-timber forest products or NTFPs) can be extracted through their leaves, flowers, barks, fruits, seeds and even roots (Razal, et al. 2009). With that, this publication is significant to raise awareness of the many potential medicinal uses and be a good reference and opportunity to develop strategies for the sustainable management and conservation of the featured species.

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