Leonardo L. Co

Leonardo L. Co - photo by Leonard Co / Bonifacio Pasion

Leonardo L. Co is a prominent Filipino plant taxonomist and ethnobiologist. Born on December 29, 1953, Co served as a museum researcher at the University of the Philippines Institute of Biology (IB) and as senior botanist of Conservation International-Philippines.

Together with co-workers Sofronio G. Cortez and Julio 'Julius' Borromeo, Co died on November 15, 2010 after being caught in an alleged crossfire between the Philippine Army and an armed group in Kananga, Leyte. Doubts, however, are cast on whether there was really a crossfire as claimed by the military.

Co was President of the Philippine Native Plants Conservation Society. His book, “Common Medicinal Plants in the Cordillera Region: A Trainor’s Manual for Community-Based Health Programs,” was published in 1989. New plant species like the 'meat' flower Rafflesia leonardi (named after him) were discovered by Co. An exceptionally rare species from Nueva Ecija and known from only one specimen, Mycaranthes leonardoi is an orchid also named after Co.

According to his colleague, Dr Julie Barcelona, Co "spent most of his botanical career studying the forests of Luzon’s Sierra Madre. Leonard’s enthusiasm has motivated many students in the Philippines to pursue a career in Botany. His attitude towards the sincere pursuit and sharing of his knowledge in Plant Taxonomy has put real meaning to the words biodiversity conservation, scientist, endemic, endangered, capacity-building, participatory, community."

Writings

• "A Manual on Some Philippine Medicinal Plants." UP Botanical Society, 1977
• "Dalit sa Kabundukan" (Poem) ni Leonard Co, 1978
• Common Medicinal Plants of the Cordillera Region, 1984
• Common Medicinal Plants in the Cordillera Region: A Trainor’s Manual for Community-Based Health Programs, 1989
• Annotated bibliography on Philippine biodiversity : filicopsida (ferns), 2001
• Palanan forest dynamics plot: floristic diversity and stand structure of a lowland evergreen forest in N.E. Luzon, Philippines, 2004
• Forest trees of Palanan, Philippines : a study in population ecology, 2006
• Assessing Evidence for a Pervasive Alteration in Tropical Tree Communities, 2008
• Taxonomy, ecology, and conservation status of Philippine Rafflesia (Rafflesiaceae), 2009

Hobbies

• playing the harmonica
• collection of protest and national liberation songs (from various countries)
• cooking

Membership

• Philippine Native Plants Conservation Society
• UP Botanical Society
• UP Mountaineers - 1978
• Community Health, Education, Services and Training in Cordillera Region (Chestcore)
• Samahan ng mga Mag-aaral sa Pilipino (SAMAPIL) - 1973

Awards

• Biodiversity Heritage Award from UNDP

References

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• "Leonardo L Co: In Memoriam" on Facebook
• Botanist’s case not isolated, says health group (PDI, 21 Nov 2010)
• Slain botanist goes home to UP (PDI, 20 Nov 2010)
• Slain botanist heard begging for mercy (PDI, 19 Nov 2010)
• No apologies offered for death of civilians (Business World, 18 Nov 2010)
• Remembering Leonard Co (Pinoy Weekly Online, 18 Nov 2010)
• Family doubts botanist killed in crossfire (ABS-CBN, 17 Nov 2010)
• Top botanist killed in crossfire (PDI, 17 Nov 2010)
• Philippine army, rebels clash kills two bystanders (AFP, 17 Nov 2010)
• Philippines' top botanist killed in crossfire (ABS-CBN, 17 Nov 2010)
• Thanks, Professor Co (Business Mirror, 17 Nov 2010)
• Slain botanist known for his work on medicinal plants (PDI, 16 Nov 2010)

Blogs

• Rafflesia leonardi - honoring an unsung hero of Philippine Botany
• Leonardo L. Co, Botanist (1953-2010)

Notes

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This document can be directly modified using a UP Webmail / CRS account. Other contributions may be coursed through psy@up.edu.ph