Modern science catches up with native knowledge with discovery of Clerodendrum kelli

• The indigenous Bugkalot people of Nueva Ecija call it “kelli”: a plant with white, starburst-like flowers and oval-shaped leaves that are traditionally mashed and mixed with food to treat ailing dogs • But despite this local familiarity, science has only now been able to identify it as a distinct species and given it a formal scientific name

Article Summaries:

• The indigenous Bugkalot people of Nueva Ecija call it “kelli”: a plant with white, starburst-like flowers and oval-shaped leaves that are traditionally mashed and mixed with food to treat ailing dogs. But despite this local familiarity, science has only now been able to identify it as a distinct species and given it a formal scientific name.

Sources:

• https://phys.org/news/2026-02-modern-science-native-knowledge-discovery.html (Latest source article published: 2026-02-25 16:40 UTC)