THE PHILIPPINE 



Journal of Science 



C. Botany 



Vol. II JULY L5, 1907 No. 4 



THE FLORA OF MOUNT HALCON, MINDORO. 



By Elmer D. Merrill. 

 Fro in flic hotanival section of the Biological Lahoniloiij, Bureau of Science.] 



Mount Haleon is perhaps the third liighest mountain in the Philip- 

 pines, it is situated in the north central part of Mindoro and near the 

 geographical center of the entire . Archipelago. Although it is within 

 100 miles of Manila and within 15 of C^alapan, the capital of Mindoro, 

 it has, so far as we have been able to determine, remained unascended 

 up to the year 1906. In the latter part of that year a biological and 

 zoological expedition was organized under the direction and with the 

 support of Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood, the object being to explore Mount 

 Haleon, to determine a feasible route to the mountain, to ascend the 

 highest peak and to secure as much information as possible regarding it, 

 as well as to make botanical and zoological collections. The expidition 

 was successful in all respects although undertaken at the worst season 

 of the year — that is, in the midst of the rainy season — and the highest 

 point on Haleon was reached on November 22, 1906, twenty-one days 

 after leaving the coast. The reader is referred to my account of the 

 ascent of Haleon \ for a narrative and geograpliical account of the trip, 

 a description of Haleon and a summary of previous attempts made to 

 ascend the mountain. 



Before this time Haleon was but little known Itotanically, altbough 

 the English ornithologist John Whitehead had nuide a snuill collection 

 in the year 1895 of plants on Dulangan, a spur of the mountain. This 

 collection yielded several species of special interest, some undescribed and 



^ This Journal, Hec. A, Gen. Hci. (1!J07). 2, 170. 

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