THE PHILIPPINE 
Journal of Science 
C. Botany 
Vol. II JULY 15, 1907 No. 4 
THE FLORA OF MOUNT HALCON, MINDORO. 
By Elmer D. Merrill. 
(From the botanical section of the Biological Laboratory , Bureau of Science.) 
Mount Halcon is perhaps the third highest 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 Calapan, 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 
Halcon, 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 Halcon was reached on November 22, 1906, twenty-one days 
after leaving the coast. The reader is referred to my account of the 
ascent of Halcon 1 for a narrative and geographical account of the trip, 
a description of Halcon and a summary of previous attempts made to 
ascend the mountain. 
Before this time Halcon was but little known botanically, although 
the English ornithologist John Whitehead had made a small 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 
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This Journal, Sec. A, Gen. Sci. (1907), 2, 179. 
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