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Bizarre 'Devil Flower' Discovered in Thailand
Confirmed
In Short: Scientists have uncovered a rare, leafless plant species named 'devil flower' in Thailand, which thrives without sunlight.
A newly discovered plant species has been named the “devil flower” due to its demonic appearance. Found on the forest floor within a national park in western Thailand, the plant was given the name Thismia daemona. It is mostly black with “horn-like” appendages, resembling a small, charred gremlin with fiery eyes.
The leafless flowering plant was discovered at an elevation of nearly 1,000 metres (3,280ft), an unusually high and seasonally dry setting for the genus. For one, members of the Thismia section Geomitra have never been discovered this far north in Thailand before. The plant’s future is precarious, and it was immediately placed on the Critically Endangered List upon discovery.
According to Professor Dave Chadwick from Bangor University, the impact of severe wildfires across Wales this summer has been catastrophic. The wildfires damaged ancient remains, and scientists are investigating the extent of the damage. The "devil flower" shares a similar enigmatic and mysterious nature with the affected areas, highlighting the need for conservation efforts.
The "devil flower" is a rare plant with an "enigmatic and devil-like essence," discovered in the forests of the Thong Pha Phum National Park in Thailand. Researchers note a couple of additional oddities about the plant, contributing to its unique classification. The plant’s rarity and localization in a popular national park filled with tourists make it particularly vulnerable.
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
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