Herbarium Bandungense of SITH ITB Collaborates with BRIN, Uncovers Six New Species of Indonesian Endemic Plants
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Editor Anggun Nindita
BANDUNG, itb.ac.id - Sekolah Ilmu dan Teknologi Hayati (SITH) ITB kembali menunjukkan kontribusi signifikan menyingkap keanekaragaman tumbuhan Indonesia dengan penemuan enam spesies baru tumbuhan endemik Indonesia dari keluarga Araceae. Temuan ini merupakan hasil kerja kolaboratif Arifin Surya Dwipa Irsyam, S.Si., M.Si., kurator Herbarium Bandungense SITH ITB, bersama tim peneliti dari Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional (BRIN).
The six newly identified species are:
a. Cyrtosperma hayii Raynalta, M.R.Hariri & A.S.D.Irsyam
b. C. prasinispathum A.S.D.Irsyam & M.R.Hariri
c. Homalomena adei M.R.Hariri & A.S.D.Irsyam
d. H. amarii A.S.D.Irsyam & M.R.Hariri
e. H. chikmawatiae A.S.D.Irsyam & M.R.Hariri
f. H. pistioides A.S.D.Irsyam, M.R.Hariri & Raynalta
According to Dr. Dian Rosleine, Vice Dean for Resources at SITH ITB and Head of Herbarium Bandungense, the discovery represents a major advancement in the field of plant taxonomy. “The identification of these six new species is a valuable contribution by the Herbarium Bandungense to the discipline of plant taxonomy,” said Dr. Dian.
Arifin, curator of the Herbarium Bandungense, explained that research on the Araceae plant family presents its own challenges. “The biggest difficulty in studying herbaceous plants like these lies in their unpredictable and often long flowering cycles. Additionally, their natural habitats tend to be very specific and limited,” he explained.
He also noted that interest in herbaceous plant research in Indonesia remains relatively low, as the focus tends to lean more toward trees or woody plants. In fact, many herbaceous plants that are already traded as ornamental plants still lack valid scientific names.
“One of our missions is to provide valid scientific names for herbaceous plants that are already popular among the public. For instance, the ‘blue metallic’ Homalomena, which once went viral on social media, has now been officially identified and described as Homalomena amarii,” he said.
"Herbarium Bandungense, under the auspices of SITH ITB, has become one of the key centers supporting national research in botany and biosystematics." The herbarium is internationally registered and serves as a depository for type specimens of various newly described species. Through its collections and scientific activities, Herbarium Bandungense reinforces its strategic role as an active and reputable center for plant taxonomy research.
“We hope our research will
inspire the younger generation to take a deeper interest in plant taxonomy, as
Indonesia’s floral wealth remains vast and largely unexplored from a scientific
perspective,” Arifin concluded.
Reporter: Fauzia Ayu
Lestari (Biotechnology, 21124306)
Contributor: Sulthon Aqil Muhana (Biology, 21323302)
