Scientists amazed to find species that disappeared for nearly a century: 'First verified sighting'

Researchers in India have successfully located a flower species that had been missing for almost 100 years, according to recent reports. The plant, Strobilanthes parryorum, is a rare shrub first cataloged 96 years ago by British botanist Annie Dunnet Parry. It grows to just over eight feet in height and produces distinctive tube-shaped yellow blooms.

The plant was originally found in Mizoram, in the region formerly known as the Lushai Hills, but had not been observed since its initial discovery. Last November, a team from Mizoram and Tamil Nadu, led by Lucy Lalawmpuii and Kholhring Lalchhandama of Pachhunga University College in Aizawl, retraced the original location of Parrys collection. They successfully identified the species and confirmed it by comparing it to preserved specimens and conducting scanning electron microscopy analyses.

The team located fewer than 35 mature plants, marking a small but crucial population that emphasizes the rarity of the species. Part of the difficulty in locating Strobilanthes parryorum is its unusual flowering pattern, known as plietesial flowering, where plants grow for several years, bloom simultaneously, and then die.

The researchers published their findings in the Journal of Threatened Taxa, suggesting that the species be classified as "Data Deficient" on the IUCN Red List. The study highlighted that this is the first verified observation of the plant in almost a century.

Such discoveries highlight the importance of preserving unique ecosystems. This flower exists exclusively in this specific habitat and could easily disappear due to environmental threats such as habitat destruction and pollution. Alarmingly, the team found the species farther north than its historical range, suggesting that climate change may further impact its survival.

For now, Strobilanthes parryorum continues to survive in the wild, offering hope that conservation efforts could protect it and other rare species facing similar challenges.

Author: Gavin Porter