Kew’s Royal Botanic Gardens’ scientists discovered 74 new plant and 15 fungal species last year, with a number of them in unexpected locations. These discoveries need immediate protection, but at least one is predicted to have gone extinct. Three-quarters of these plants face extinction.
Species protection could start with the naming of a new species, said senior research leader Dr Martin Cheek. Once a species has a scientific name, measures can be put into place to protect it, and research carried out to explore its potential uses.
This year’s top 10 discoveries for Kew have been praised for being reminders of the beauty of the natural world, whilst also being a warning regarding environmental loss.
Among this year’s most fascinating finds are a strange new Mozambique plant, which possibly digests insects for food, and has sticky hairs to attract them. There are also three previously unknown fungal species discovered in Antarctica, and a palm named Pinanga subterranea found in Borneo, which grows almost entirely underground.
Plants and fungi discovery are crucial to finding new sources of food, medicines, and other breakthrough science for the many daunting issues we face as a global population, said Kew’s fungi expert, Dr Raquel Pino-Bodas
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