Scientists identify 'alien' flowering plant

Three Thismia malipoensis flowers found in the Laoshan Provincial Nature Reserve in Malipo county, Yunnan province, in 2019. CHINA DAILY After further study through collaboration with other researchers from the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under the CAS, they realized that the plant was a new species of Thismia. On Feb 28, the researchers from KIB and XTBG described the new species, named Thismia malipoensis, in an article published in the international botanical journal Willdenowia. Ya is the first author of the research article titled "Phylogenetic and biogeographical analyses of Thismia support T. malipoensis as the eighth species in China". Given the high dependence of Thismia plants on specific mycorrhizal fungi for seed germination and seedling establishment, the most effective conservation strategy for these species involves in situ protection, emphasizing the preservation of their natural habitats, Yu said.