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Bizarre 'Devil Flower' Discovered in Thailand
Confirmed
In Short: A newly discovered plant species has been named the 'devil flower' due to its demonic appearance, found in the forests of western Thailand.
In a recent discovery, scientists have identified a unique plant species in the forests of western Thailand, which they have named the "devil flower" due to its menacing appearance. This leafless flowering plant, mostly black with "horn-like" appendages, was found growing at an elevation of nearly 1,000 meters, an unusually high and seasonally dry setting for the genus.
According to Dr. Chantanaorrapint, the plant's appearance lives up to its name, with its demonic features capturing the essence of its enigmatic nature. "Combined with its hidden, subterranean and mysterious lifestyle on the forest floor, our team unanimously agreed that naming it Thismia daemona perfectly captured its enigmatic and devil-like essence," he said.
The discovery of the "devil flower" in the Thong Pha Phum National Park is particularly noteworthy as members of the Thismia section Geomitra have never been discovered this far north in Thailand before. This adds to the plant's mystique and rarity, making it a significant find for botanists and researchers.
The "devil flower" is a rare plant with an "enigmatic and devil-like essence," as described by the researchers in a new study. The plant's unique characteristics, including its leaflessness and unusual habitat, make it a fascinating subject for further study. Scientists are now investigating the plant's biology and ecology to better understand its survival in such an unusual environment.
The "devil flower" is just one of many unique species facing challenges due to climate change and habitat loss. The impact of severe wildfires across Wales this summer, as reported by Professor Dave Chadwick from Bangor University, has been described as "catastrophic," highlighting the broader environmental concerns that affect plant and animal life.
In the context of global warming and environmental challenges, the discovery of the "devil flower" serves as a reminder of the importance of continued scientific research and conservation efforts to protect biodiversity.
What's confirmed
- “Combined with its hidden, subterranean and mysterious lifestyle on the forest floor, our team unanimously agreed that naming it Thismia daemona perfectly captured its enigmatic and devil-like essence.” But botanists say the flower’s future is “precarious”.
What's still developing
- In 2023, scientists used a portable MA-XRF imaging device to study ancient Egyptian paintings, part of a broader project investigating tomb chapels in the Theban Necropolis.
- The technique is so sensitive that less sample material is needed compared to other methods.
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- "It is now time to stop acting surprised that our warming planet keeps getting warmer. This is occurring exactly as forecast by scientists literally decades ago," Texas A&M University climate scientist Andrew Dessler said in an email.
- Several scientists said while El Nino is a factor, this natural and temporary warming of parts of the Pacific that warps and warms weather globally is nowhere as big a cause as the heat-trapping gases emitted as humans burn coal, oil and natural gas.
- August's sizzle also helped push the globe and the United States to swelter through the hottest Northern Hemisphere summer scientists have measured.
- Read more: “A Closer Look at the Woolly Devil” Chronicling the discovery in a new study, researchers note a couple of additional oddities about the devil flower.