Botanists rediscover rare tropical flower thought to be extinct for 36 years
(CNN) — A rare blazing orange wildflower that was thought to be extinct for 36 years was rediscovered in South America. The wildflower Gasteranthus extinctus has only been spotted in Ecuador’s cloud forest and was last documented in 1985, according to a new study in the journal PhytoKeys. Most of the cloud forest suffered deforestation in the years that followed. The habitat loss was thought to have killed off dozens of species, White said. “It was total elation because Gasteranthus extinctus is a symbol of these unique forests,” White said.
Source: CNN April 15, 2022 15:55 UTC
