Hey there, nature enthusiasts! 🌱 Big news from the plant world: a new species has been discovered in China's Guangdong Province! Say hello to Paraphlomis baiwanensis, a rare gem from the mint family that's been hiding in the limestone mountains of Qingyuan City.
Back in 2023, a scientific expedition team embarked on an epic journey across several karst mountains in Qingyuan. During their deep dive into the region's biodiversity, they stumbled upon this mysterious plant. Was it an unknown species? You bet! 😲
After a year of intense field investigations and research involving morphology studies, molecular phylogeny, and population genetics, the team confirmed that they'd indeed found something new. The discovery was so groundbreaking that it was published in the international journal of plant taxonomy, PhytoKeys!
But here's the catch: currently, there's only one known population of fewer than 100 individuals of Paraphlomis baiwanensis! 🌿 They're nestled on limestone mountains about 300 meters above sea level in the Baiwan Provincial Nature Reserve in Qingxin District.
Associate Professor Fan Qiang from the School of Life Sciences at Sun Yat-sen University, one of the authors of the paper, shared his excitement about the discovery. This rare find highlights the incredible biodiversity that still exists in our world, just waiting to be explored! 🌏✨
Who knows what other hidden treasures are out there? Keep exploring, and stay curious! 🧐
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
