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In tropical and subtropical countries, the awareness on the importance of bamboos to the environment and economy is increasing and so is the demand for spatial bamboo information. However, mapping bamboos especially those naturally grown has been challenging, as these grasses are often mixed with other land-use and land-cover (LULC). In this study, we used Sentinel 1 and Sentinel 2 remote sensing (RS) images, and their vegetation indices to accurately map the bamboos of Iloilo province in the Philippines using:(1) pixel-based method that mapped bamboos and other LULC at 10 m resolution, and (2) fractional cover method that mapped bamboo cover at 100 m resolution (% ha −1 ). A random forest model was trained for each method and then validated per hectare basis using a 50:50 training-validation ratio of a stratified random sample. The fractional cover method showed 0.34 higher Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) and 5.10% lower Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) than the pixel-based method. Further validation within upland and lowland sites also favoured the fractional cover method, but the results of the two methods were closer in the upland site (bamboo plantation). Errors at 10 m resolution especially in the lowlands were mostly commission errors, likely because of the spectral similarity and proximity between bamboos and > 14 vegetations. Averaging the RS inputs into 100 m resulted in at most 12% separation of reflectance values among bamboos, forests, and other vegetations. Using the bamboo cover map, a total of 14,795 (± 1,283) ha bamboos and 7.45 (± 4.20) million harvestable culms (poles) were estimated for the whole province, where 54% come from the lowland. We suggest using the fractional cover method for nationwide baselining of bamboo resources.

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Abstract. Tan JMP, Banaticla-Hilario MC, Malabrigo P, Angeles MD, JR Buot IE. 2020. Anatomical examination of the petiole of eupolypods I (Polypodiales). Biodiversitas 21: 1767-1777. The efficiency of petiole anatomy characters in identifying and describing the species and families of eupolypods I (Polypodiales) were explored. Specimens of 21 species, representing 13 genera and nine families were collected and processed in the laboratory, following proper dehydration and staining protocols. Transverse sections of the basal, median, and distal portions of the petiole were examined, photographed and analyzed. The results showed five taxonomically significant characters that can serve as family markers: (i) xylem shape, (ii) vascular bundle shape, (iii) number of vascular bundles, (iv) presence and absence of circumendodermal band, and (v) presence and absence of adaxial grooves. Based on these characters, a taxonomic key to the families of eupolypods I was constructed.

Abstract—Medinilla (Melastomataceae) is a large paleotropical genus with the Philippines as one of its greatest centers of diversity. However, exceptionally few species are recorded from Palawan. Notes on the Medinilla species of Palawan and an identification key are provided. Ten species are recorded, double the previous number. Two species are newly described: Medinilla simplicymosa and Medinilla ultramaficola. The Medinilla of Palawan remain poorly understood.