Identification and documentation of wild plant species with ornamental potentials at Mount Prau, Central Java, Indonesia

Indonesia has diverse flora and fauna, and many species remain largely undiscovered. Documentation and identification of threatened wild ornamental species are increasingly difficult due to ongoing exploitation and land conversion. Mount Prau is one of the popular destinations in Central Java, Indonesia for tourism. Understanding plant biodiversity has enormous value for the economy, ecology, culture, science, and recreation. Our study is aimed to record the diversity and identify the flowering plant species in their native habitat at Mount Prau, Central Java, Indonesia. Our field surveys demonstrated that Mount Prau has abundant wild ornamental plants with wide diversity of taxa, growth habits, and forms. A total of 103 species representing 51 families and 95 genera are identified including trees, shrubs, herbs, and lianas. We also found that among the plant species found in Mount Prau, 24 have morphological characters suitable to be cultivated as ornamental flowers, and 12 as ornamental foliages, and 63 species are medicinal plants. The ornamental criteria of these species were based on the literature describing the morphological and unique characters of leaves and flowers that made them potential to be developed as ornamental plants. In this paper we have provided the current conservation status of the plant species identified and recommendations on their conservation. This study provides baseline data of species found in the Mount Prau areas, and this information could be helpful for further conservations efforts and initiatives.


Introduction
The loss of natural habitat mainly occurred due to land conversion to pastures, agriculture, and commercial development (Corlett, 2016), resulting in the extinction of various wild species of flora and fauna.Many plant species that were once abundant are now challenging to find in their natural habitat.Indonesia has the 8 th largest forest area globally at 120.6 million hectares or about 63% of the country's total land area.However, forest exploitation in Indonesia was ranked the 3 rd highest in the world in 2018 (Pratama, 2020).Since 2015, around 30% of conservation forests have been damaged due to forest encroachment by the community (Yustina et al., 2016).Deforestation has become more severe in the absence of an official assessment from the local government.
The issue of conservation has been the focus of academics, researchers, and environmentalists as the intensity of habitat exploitation has called for immediate conservation (Sharrock and Jackson, 2017).Studies on conservation so far have shown three trends.First, conservation is an effort to preserve natural resources (Saragih et al., 2019).Second, there are conservation models and approaches (Wiradimadja, 2018;Aviyana, 2016;Fa'atin and Sa'adah, 2018;Saroinsong and Kalangi, 2016); even religious and local traditions approaches have beencarried out as an effort to preserve the environment (Syukur and Qodim, 2016;Maula, 2017).Third, conservation of plants for uses as medicine (Wibisono and Azham, 2017).There has not been much conservation effort of wild ornamental plants in various regions from the trend of existing studies.
The distribution of ornamental plants can be associated with colonialism and globalization (Ciftcioglu et al., 2019).Paiva et al. (2020) show that consumers of flowers and ornamental plants in Brazil can spend R$100.00 to R$200.00 in one year.Ornamental plants allow humans to interact and modify the environment (Ilyas et al., 2021).In the ornamental plant industry, plant breeders continuously try to do selection and conventional crossings to modify the color of leaves, flowers and the aroma of plants.Various, advanced technologies have been used to create more diverse plant features for commercialization, such as the protoplast technology such as the protoplast technology, which currently being used to transform plants and produce new cultivars; the protoplast technology is popular within the international floriculture industry to meet the demand for ornamental plants (Naing et al., 2021).
Human activities, such as agriculture, aquaculture, modification of natural systems, climate change and extreme weather, mining and renewable energy, human intrusion and disturbance, and overuse of resources, threaten the existence of the native species, leading it to scarcity and even extinction (Cross et al., 2020).Among these activities, Cross et al. (2020) show that the most significant threats that place species at risk of extinction include urban development, agriculture, illegal hunting, and horticultural trade.
Mount Prau is a dormant volcano located in Dieng Plateau, Indonesia; it is one of the most popular hiking destinations in Central Java.Dieng itself is a popular holiday destination, with guesthouses, cafes, equipment shops, and tourist agencies.The native plants and flowers have been collected for private collections and commercial trading because of the increased tourist activities at Mount Prau (Daris and Wijaya, 2017).This condition is worsened by the occurrence of natural disasters and insufficient protection from the local government and policy makers.Extinction of species does have not only impacted the wild ornamental plants in this area, but also the other living things that depend on them.
This study aims to document the occurrence and to identify ornamental flora in various sites in Mount Prau, Indonesia.Specifically, this study was conducted to a) identify the wild plant species growing in the area, b) identify potential ornamental values of the flora of Mount Prau, and c) determine the factors that pose threats or causing the extinction of wild ornamental plants in the area.The information from this survey will complement the studies on ornamental flora conservation, particularly at the Mount Prau region.We also provided recommendations for further research on ornamental flora documentation by doing this study.
All specimen samples were photographed and collected, then identified for their ornamental values and potential use as flowering potted plants, ornamental foliage, and small trees.The ornamental values are based on the plants' unique and attractive color, texture, shape, pattern of the leaf, flower, and stem described in Table 1 (Stumpf et al., 2009;Sousa and Versieux, 2020).Mature leaves were selected for morphological evaluation.Flower characteristics were selected from plants that have flowered at the full bloom stage.Based on morphological data, identification was conducted according to the description in the flora of Indo-China, British India, China, and the Malay Peninsula, and scientific publications, and confirmed by a taxonomist from Herbarium Bogoriense for the identification of the specimens.The collected specimens that have not been recorded in the Herbarium were reported.

Results and Discussion
Diversity of plant species at Mount Prau Field exploration of wild vegetation in Mount Prau has demonstrated a wide floristic diversity.A total of 112 individuals representing 103 species and consisting of 51 families and 95 genera of flowering and nonflowering plants were identified.The plant families with ornamental values include Asteraceae (19 species), Lamiaceae (5 species), Achantecaeae (5 species), Solanaceae (5 species), Euphorbiaceae (2 species) (Figure 2), and Pteridophytes (12 species).Based on the morphological characters of these species (described by Stumpf et al., 2009;Sousa and Versieux, 2020; Table 1), 12 species have potentials to be developed as ornamental foliage (Table 2), and 24 species as flowering ornamentals (Table 3).Additionally, three endemic and rare species were found, Anaphalis javanica (Javanese edelweiss, Figure 3 B and Figure 4) (Whitten et al., 1992), Dodonaea viscosa (Figure 5), and Tetrastigma glabratum (Figure 6) (Lianah, 2014).The species in our study have different growth habits, i.e., herbs, shrubs, trees, creeping and climbing lianas, and epiphytes (Table 2 and 3).Twenty-eight species are annual herbs (A.H.), 18 are perennial herbs (P.H.), 6 are tree (T.), 7 are ferns (Fn.), and, 5 are fern epiphytes (Fn.Ep.), 31 are shrubs (S/ shrub), six each are climber (Cl.) and 2 are rhizome herb (Rh.H.) and bulb herb (B.H.), respectively (Figure 2).The Rare Species Found in Mount Prau Figure 3 shows the endemic plants of Mount Prau at an altitude of 2.500 m.a.s.l.i.e.Passiflora coccine (Figure 3A), Anaphalis javanica (Figure 3B and 4), Vaccinium varingiaefolium (Figure 3C), Allmania nodiflora (Figure 3D), Rhododendron javanicum (Figure 3E), Hypericum leschenaultia (Figure 3F), Sedum album (Figure 3G), and Quisqualis indica (Figure 3H).These species have bright, showy colorsin their flowers, making them potential candidates to be domesticated as ornamental plants.Among these, tourists frequently hunt for A. javanica (Figure 3B and 4).IdentIfIcatIon and documentatIon of wIld plant specIes wIth ornamental potentIals at mount prau, central Java, IndonesIa 116 Anaphalis javanica is a flowering species endemic to Indonesia and known as 'Javanese edelweiss.' Whitens et al. (1992) reported that A. javanica had been found to grow in the mountainous regions of Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, and Lombok.Anaphilis javanica that we found at mount Prau are generally ±1 meters in height at an altitude of 2,000 m.a.s.l.Allmania nodiflora (Figure 3D) are also known as eternal flowers because their petals are long-lasting and can last up to 10 years.The long lasting flowers of A. nodiflora and A. javanica is an important character for potential use as cut flowers.The flowers have been frequently collected as a souvenir by the people climbing Mount Prau.According to Setiyo and Haddy (2019), Anaphalis javanica has important roles in the mountain ecosystem; it is one of the essential food sources for insects, plant host for Myophonus glaucinusor the Javan whistling thrush, and growing in groups they can prevent landslides and erosion.Anaphalis javanica is a pioneer species in young volcanic soil and can maintain its survival on barren earth by forming mycorrhizae, thereby expanding the area of root coverage to look for nutrients (Ade et al., 2019).
Anaphalis javanica usually bears flowers between April and August.Currently, there is an existing cultivation group responsible for propagating this species.Anaphalis javanica has been protected in the Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry Number P.92 (2018) on Protected Types of Plants and Animals.However, in the Mount Prau area, this plant is not being propagated yet.In Indonesia, collecting native plants from their natural habitat is commonly done; therefore, conservation of this species isurgent in this location.It is also necessary to issue local and regional regulations to protect this species.Another unique endemic plant in Mount Prau is Dodonaea viscosa (Figures 5A, B, C), locally known as 'tengsek tree' or 'dolu'.Dodonaea viscosa is found at an altitude of 1.300 m.a.s.l.Dodonaea viscosa flowers are inconspicuous and have no petals, the colorful parts are actually capsules.Fertilized capsules can take up to 11 months to mature, and over this time, the capsules will change color from a green or cream color to a brilliant red (Hidayat and Suhendri, 2020).The soft colorof the capsules (Figure 5A) makes them suitable as flowering shrubs or small trees for landscapes.People consider D. viscoca as lucky trees, making it frequently hunted.Dodonaea viscosa is a woody perennial, and most of the plant population that we discovered at Mount Prau is 1-7 m in height.The local people used Dodonae viscosa stem as a material for making the sheath of the keris, a traditional Javanese weapon with unique shapes.The leaves are single-spreading, slightly variable, oval to lancet, green, pinnate leaf bone (Pongtiku, 2016) with a thin, supple, shiny, or oily look.Dolu leaves are commonly used in traditional medicine and raw materials to make keris by the local people so they are increasingly hard to find, while no cultivation or propagation has been conducted to preserve them.It is imperative to propagate this species either in-situ or ex-situ and to be protected from illegal collection.
In addition to Dodonaea viscosa, two endemic species in Mount Prau have been identified, Tetrastigma glabratum (Figure 6A) and Symphyotrichum ericoides (Figure 6B and C), also known as daisy or aster.Tetrastigma glabratum (local name: oyod gang, walikadep) is a liana found climbing on tall trees in the Mount Prau forest at an altitude of 1300 m.a.s.l.Tetrastigma glabratum grows wild at Mount Prau and the surrounding areas, especially in Blumah Village (Lianah, 2014).The local people at the villages around the area have been using the liquid exudates from T. glabratum to children's appetite, to treat coughing and to maintain health in general (Lianah, 2014).The parts of the plants that have been collected are the stems with large diameters, i.e., from the older trees.Tetrastigma glabratum is ahost for Rafflesia, the largest flowering species in the world.Therefore, to conserve both the host and Rafflesia, there is an urgent need to propagate them either in-situ or ex-situ.Tetrastigma glabratum needs to be protected legally.
At the time of our exploration, S. ericoides were abundant in Mount Prau; they were found to grow on dry and rocky soils.The survey was conducted during the dry season, and there was no rain for about 3 months (BMKG, 2020).Symphyotrichum ericoides is widely known as heath aster.Symphyotrichum ericoides are perennials, and most of the plants that we found are 50-70cm tall.Their flowers are composite with white ray flowers in contrast to their yellow disk flowers at the centers.The inflorescence diameter is about 10 mm across.In our opinion, for now, there is no urgent need to call for the legal protection of this species.Additionally, it is not over-exploited in the area.Being widely distributed in the area, this makes these daisies better suited for domestication.
The dynamic floriculture industry is constantly looking for new products with more diverse physical appearances, textures, and patterns (Krisantini et al., 2014).Therefore, new species with unique shapes, colors, and patterns of flowers, leaves, or stems are always wanted to be introduced to the floricultural market.Propagation and domestication of unique and beautiful species need integrated research and development efforts and require strong collaboration between research institutions, universities, and the local government.In developing new hybrids, it is vital to have a vast collection of species (Ghimiray and Vernooy, 2017).Therefore, it is very important to protect the species diversity in their natural habit.The floriculture industry and landscaping business in Indonesia has been the source of income for the locals, and there has been increasing awareness to build environmentally friendly human habitats.The flowering species that we have found in our study could be helpful for the local people and add new products to the Indonesian flower and ornamental plant market.
Conservation efforts should be carried out considering specific and contextual driving factors, including integration of nature conservation and forest management (Henri et al., 2018).In line with that, to assist in formulating conservation planning both in-situ and ex-situ, a priority list of species is needed.This priority list can further help achieve the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation 2011-2020 (Cahyaningsih et al., 2021).

Factors threatening the extinction of ornamental wild plants
We recorded that natural disasters are unavoidable conditions that cause environmental damage, thereby affecting various rare plant species that live naturally.Mount Prau is vulnerable to natural disasters such as heavy rain, landslide, volcano eruption, making its natural vegetation prone to destruction.Ignorance of plant uses and other benefits make humans exploit rare species to extinction; tourist visits to Mount Prau had disrupted the natural growth of wild species.Illegal and indiscriminate harvesting of plants has broken the chain of native plant growth.During the pandemic in 2020, the number of visitors to Mount Prau has been limited to only 1,500 people per day.
Worldwide, deforestation and forest degradation affect biodiversity and practices and become a driving factor for biodiversity loss caused by exploitation practices (Tsujino et al., 2016).In the Mount Prau region, the main threat is the overexploitation of native plants by visitors, climbers and tourists.The impact of the extinction of a species will result in the extinction of species relying on them.It will harm the balance of the ecosystem and eventually on humans.

Conclusions
Wild plant species in Mount Prau should receive more protection from various threats of extinction, and the high intensity of tourist visits to Mount Prau is one of the main factors that need to be managed.The wild plant species with potential ornamental values are Anaphylis javanica, Dodonaea viscosa, and Symphyotrichum ericoides.We strongly suggest the local government enforce the regulations to protect these species from extinction.Future research efforts should be directed into studying reproductive biology, propagation, and optimal culture of these species and develop their potentials as ornamental plants.

Figure 1 .
Figure 1.Research site map showing (A) Indonesian map; (B) Central Java location map; (C) Map of research locations Kendal, Temanggung, Banjarnegara and Kejajar Wonososbo

Table 1 .
Morphological and type of growth evaluation of the ornamental species of Mount Prau, Central Java, Indonesia, with the potential use in ornamental flower industry* Stumpf et al., 2009;Sousa and Versieux, 2020ersieux, 2020Lianah Kuswanto et al.V. 28, N o .1, 2022 p. 110-119 113

Table 2 .
Species that have potentials to be domesticated as foliage ornamentals

Table 3 .
Species that have potentials to be domesticated as flowering ornamentals.