DELA CRUZ Thomas Edison, Philippines

Abstract

Myxomycetes are a small, relatively homogenous group of eukaryotic organisms, with about 900 known species worldwide. In the Philippines, only selected lowland and highland forests have been surveyed for the presence of myxomycetes. Recent studies by the research proponent showed that many species awaits discovery. Identities of those collected specimens require further confirmation. Thus, this research project looks at selected specimens of plasmodial myxomycetes recently collected from the Philippines and confirms their identities with the myxomycete collection at the National Botanic Garden in Belgium following comparison of their morphologies. The interactive database that will be developed presents the taxonomic description of the collected specimens and their geographic distribution and will serve as a virtual herbarium accessible for researchers, particularly Filipino taxonomists.

Training location: National Botanic Garden of Belgium, Meise.

Left: Field collection of myxomycetes during the Mycoforay organized by Dr. Myriam de Haan (April 2011). Right: Dr Dela Cruz working at the NBG (January 2014).