Leonardo Co and Mycaranthes leonardoi

In late 2008, botanist Ulysses Ferreras approached and asked me if I could assist him in describing two orchid species that he found, with a very special request: that one of the two will be named after Leonardo Co. The orchids in question were from two genera, Mycaranthes and Robiquetia, and Uly suggested that the latter bear Leonard's name. I expressed disagreement, arguing that doing so would rob the orchid of identity because it will then carry the name of two persons- an idiosyncrasy on my part, I must admit. So we ended up with the combination of 'Mycaranthes leonardoi', with the Robiquetia bestowed with the name of 'Robiquetia enigma'. At this point, I would like to draw attention to the fact that during my active years in orchidology, I have made it a matter of principle to keep to a minimum the number of people I would like to honor in my species descriptions, and that these people should have had at least some direct involvement in these species. Leonard saw and photographed the very same Mycaranthes during one of his fieldworks in the Mingan Mountains in the province of Aurora, in June 2006 (photo above). By December of the same year, we already have fleshed out our manuscript; this was meant to be presented as a pleasant surprise to Leonard. Exactly a year later, the protologue of the two species was published in the Dec. 2009-Jan. 2010 issue of the Australian Orchid Review, and Uly and I broke the news to Leonard in our then Philippine Native Plants Conservation Society Inc. (PNPCSI) office at Quezon City. To our surprise, Leonard exclaimed "Putang-ina, bakit sa akin niyo ipinangalan? Sana sa iba na lang. (Son of a bitch, why did you name it after me? You should have named it after someone else.)" The rather awkward conversation that ensued between the three of us was over in less than a couple of minutes. In contrast, Leonard was said to be quite ecstatic when Julie Barcelona and Pieter Pelser named a Rafflesia after him a year previously (Barcelona, pers. comm). Not that he wasn't interested in the orchid, but he wanted to keep the species named after him to a minimum- if describing authors can help it. Also, it struck me, though much later, that Leonard thought of himself as unworthy to be honored in an orchid's name. Sometime in 2005, I was introduced to him by a common friend, Anthony Arbias, who informed me that this Leonard- a good a botanist that he was- was looking for someone who can identify his orchid photos. What people often seem to forget (or conveniently ignore) was that Leonard had his weak points too, botanically speaking, and orchidology was one of those few. 

Leonard relayed his discomfiture having the species named after him, and wasted no effort communicating that, though in a rather humorous, aw-shucks way. I was personally taken aback but realized instantly that it should have come as no surprise. Leonard was a very modest man. Despite having been widely acknowledged at that time to have been an authority on Philippine plants, he never spoke or acted like he was aware of it. A sharp and jarring contrast to some people I know who would go as far as ask other people to name a species after them, often wanting to have their full name for maximum (narcissistic) effect and perhaps for the sole purpose of hammering down the message of "hey, that was me who was honored in this species, and not someone else who shares my surname", even though their knowledge or contributions to botany is superficial. These people would even take an extra step by wanting to have multiple genera named after them. Leonard was above that and only had three goals for Philippine botany: to establish a society composed of both horticulturists and botanists- culminating in the PNPCSI, a digital compendium of all known Philippine plants, and to share his monumental passion for all things plants with people who would take time to pay attention. Leonard's vision for PNPCSI was a marked departure from the demeanor of most botanists, particularly in the Philippines. He recognized the importance of plant collectors in the conservation of species, which went against the grain of how very many botanists viewed them. His other brainchild, a digital site for all known Philippine plants, was meant to be both a continuation and a modern version of Elmer Drew Merrill's 'Enumeration of Philippine Flowering Plants', which ran from 1921 to 1926 and encompassed three volumes. Leonard's digital flora took a major step further from Merrill's in supplying photographs, the bulk of which was meant to be generously contributed by people from all walks of life- the spirit of citizen science in its truest form. The task has since fallen on the shoulders of Pieter Pelser and Julie Barcelona, two of Leonard's long-time and most able of friends. Lastly, Leonard was, in my view, botany personified. And he conveyed that with unabridged passion. For more times than I can recall, he would stutter from excitement as he talks about plants to other people. These are periods when he is in his element, communicating and infecting his listeners with zeal, but it was never about his encyclopaedic knowledge on plants but rather, it was always about the plants. He was never about self-promotion or any other ulterior motive which would have succumbed most mortals of lesser caliber had they been presented with even half of the opportunity that Leonard had. One might be forgiven for wondering if the man would even appreciate the number of species named after him posthumously. Leonard made it seem like he was only a vessel, an actor. His self-effacement kept any sign of ingratiating at bay, and he would often shrink if a spotlight was directed on him. Perhaps it would have been at Uly and myself's advantage if we kept this in mind as we considered naming a species after him back in 2008. 

Leonard was killed by soldiers in Kananga, Leyte during fieldwork on behalf of the Energy Development Corporation who runs nurseries for reforestation across the Philippines. Today, November 15, 2020, marks the tenth death anniversary of the silent titan of Philippine botany. That is ten years of justice still blatantly being denied of him, his family, and all the people whose lives he touched, both during his living years and beyond. For more about Leonard, please click here:

Campsite breakfast during a fieldwork in Cagayan, June 24, 2008. From left to right: Leonard, the late Ressie Navarro, myself, Anthony Arbias, and Ulysses Ferreras.