News from the gardening world
Around 110 found in 2019 face threats to their natural habitats
Many plant species discovered in 2019 are already threatened with extinction, say Kew Garden scientists. Around 102 flowering plants and eight fungi were discovered around the world, nearly half from Africa, by the foremost UK botanic garden and its partners, but they're facing threats to their natural habitats from forest clearance for agriculture and timber, quarrying, dam-making and man-made fires in addition to climate change.
Some are already considered important in the development of new medicines or for providing solutions to agroforestry. If introduced to cultivation using international protocols some would make attractive ornamental plants.
Once such plant is a new species of snowdrop, G. bursanus from North West Turkey. It was only discovered after a photograph was put on social media website Facebook after Turkish paediatrician Dr Yildiz Konka uploaded her holiday photos. On seeing the photos Ukrainian snowdrop specialist Dr Dimitri Zubov knew they were special, confirmed after Kew snowdrop specialist Dr Aaron Davis took a look. Threats from illegal collecting, marble quarrying and expansion of agricultural land have rendered it ‘critically endangered’. Shrubby African violet relative Cyrtandra vittata was found to be new after a legally collected plant recently flowered at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. The white berries of the attractive pinkflowered species from northern New Guinea are thought to be dispersed by doves and pigeons.
Bulbous Gladiolus mariae, discovered growing on just two remote table mountains in the African country of Guinea, grows in open grassland. A medicinal fungus from Yunnan, China, which grows on a species of bamboo has been found to contain chemicals known as hypocrellins which are known to have anti-tumour, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties.
“Discovering and describing new species is a truly exciting and vital scientific endeavour so we can better protect (them) before they become extinct,” said Kew senior scientist Dr Martin Cheek.