The Makiling Botanic Gardens (MBG) Plant of the Month (POM) for September 2024 is the Lago, scientifically known as Prunus grisea (Blume) Kalkman var. grisea from the family Rosaceae. The plant is native to the Philippines, Java, Lesser Sunda Is., Maluku, New Guinea, Sulawesi, and Vietnam.
Lago is a large tree that can grow up to 20 meters tall, with low buttresses. It thrives in both primary and secondary forests, particularly on Mount Makiling at low elevations. Its fruit is a drupe, globular to ellipsoid, and glabrous, with a sparsely hairy endocarp. The tree produces flowers in racemes, often found solitary in the axils of fallen leaves. The leaves are simple with slightly wavy margins, glabrous, and vary from elliptic to oblong or ovate to lanceolate, featuring a prominent pair of flat basal glands.
Lago has several practical uses: its bark is used to treat skin irritations, the leaves are applied for rheumatism relief, and its wood is valued for general construction, furniture making, plywood, and crates for packing.
For more information, you may view this video link: https://youtu.be/mwXy9s7RJIg
By: AALimpiada and ACMalayba