New Plant Species Discovered In Heavily Deforested Area Of Ecuador

Co-authors include former FMNH postdoc Dawson White, John Clark (first author), a research botanist at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens and a long-time collaborator of Nigel, and scientists from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Ecuador, Quito. John is pictured below right with a specimen of the plant. As Nigel relates, John is a taxonomist who specializes in the Gesneriaceae (the African Violet family), which is exceptionally diverse in coastal Ecuador. After our 2021 rediscovery of forest fragments at Centinela and rediscovery of Gasteranthus extinctus, John surveyed Gesneriaceae in some of the forest fragments we found. He also joined the field work we did at Centinela in September 2023. During those trips John discovered a new species of a tiny wildflower currently known from two forest fragments in the Centinela region, and he invited Dawson and me to co-author the article and species. As with the (inaptly named) Gasteranthus extinctus, the discovery of Amalophyllon miraculum demonstrates that the region’s biodiversity may not have suffered as badly as first feared. Centinela Ridge is well known for heavy deforestation over the last century. The ridge was once home to a huge diversity of species, but it was believed that most of the area’s unique plants had been wiped out when the forest was cleared for farmland. However, more recent research has revealed that some species are hanging on. A. miraculum was discovered on a farmer’s land in one of the few surviving forest patches, the result of what John calls the “heroic efforts of local landowners” to preserve the remaining forest. “Centinela is still alive because a few farmers chose to conserve the forests on their property instead of cutting them down,” he told reporters. “The remnant forests of Centinela are the result of these enlightened farmers who were inspired to maintain the beauty of a waterfall.” The researchers were particularly surprised that the plant survived despite its very specific lifestyle—it has to grow on rocks, but it also has to stay moist. “The lifestyle of Amalophyllon miraculum is closely tied to persistently wet areas, particularly on rocks that receive perpetual mist from waterfalls,” John says. “Even minor changes in habitat conditions can lead to the absence of this tiny species, highlighting the delicate balance necessary for its survival.” He also calls the discovery “a humbling reminder of how much we still have to learn,” and “just how important it is to preserve these unique ecosystems.” In considering the species name, the authors reflected on the fact that Gasteranthus extinctus was named after its own (supposed) extinction. “That got us thinking,” says Nigel. “What if we use the description of the new Amalophyllon to take those good vibes to the next level? What if we give it a name that reflects our commitment to ensuring that this Critically Endangered plant never goes extinct? What if we name it after its own conservation?” Thus, Amalophyllon miraculum, where, miraculum, as the paper notes, “reflects the extraordinary and unexpected persistence of remnant forest patches” in the Centinela. You can learn more in coverage from the NHM(UK), CNN, and Newsweek, and from Globo (Brazil), and Infobae (Argentina).
June 21. 2024