Treasure trove of new plant species found

Rare discoveries include vanilla, parsnip, begonia varieties

IT’S not only nature’s wildlife that has an endless capacity to surprise. One thousand and seven hundred plant species were discovered last year, with uses ranging from food and medicine to music.

They include new varieties of vanilla, parsnip and begonia. Among the flowers, trees, vegetables and other plants classified by botanists is Paubrasilia, a tree useful for making violin bows due to the flexibility of its wood.

Four relatives of aloe vera, a plant used in cosmetics and health products, were found in southern Africa and seven new types of rooibos were identified in South Africa. Previously unknown types of mucuna – a vine that is a good source of the amino acid L-DOPA, used to treat Parkinson’s disease – have been gathered in various countries including Mexico, Borneo, New Guinea and Ecuador.

A herb, onobrychis, found in Greece could aid efforts to combat global warming. If added to fodder, it reduces the amount of the greenhouse gas methane produced by a cow’s digestive system, which could limit the impact cattle farming has on the environment.

In the Philippines, botanists found unknown species of caper, sugar cane and yam.

There were also new varieties of lobelia, violet, camellia, primula, rose, clematis, busy lizzie and gerbera.

Researchers at Kew Gardens revealed their findings in a report, The State Of The World’s Plants 2017.

Professor Cathy Willis, director of science at Kew, said wild varieties of popular crops can be used to help boost resistance to disease in cultivated varieties. Crops bred for high yields often lose their genetic diversity and resilience to drought and pests.

“Wild relatives might not have the yields, but they have survived thousands of years in multiple climate conditions and, in their genomes, they have the genes that will enable resilience,” Willis said.

“We need to take these genes and breed them back into our crops to make them resilient in the future.”

Other food plants discovered last year include wild varieties of liquorice, vanilla, clove and salvia – which is related to sage and used as a herb, although some species act as a hallucinogenic drug.

Not surprisingly, many of the discoveries are rare. One is considered critically endangered, two endangered and three vulnerable. Some parts of the globe are still opening up for exploration, including Colombia – previously a no-go area because of conflict.

The report warned that there would be “winners and losers” as plants try to adapt to the impact of climate change.

Plants with thicker leaves, better water- use strategies, deeper roots and higher wood density are set to thrive, while those without such traits could struggle, it said. – Daily Mail