New 'devil flower' species discovered in Thai national park
Researchers have described a new species of leafless flowering plant found on the forest floor of a national park in western Thailand, and its otherworldly appearance has earned it a fittingly dramatic name: Thismia daemona, the "devil flower."
Researchers have unearthed a new species of leafless flowering plant named Thismia daemona, or the "devil flower," in the forest floor of Thailand's Thong Pha Phum National Park. Thismia daemona belongs to the Thismia genus, often referred to as "fairy lanterns," which are small plants without chlorophyll and incapable of photosynthesis.
These plants survive by taking nutrients from underground fungi and remain hidden beneath leaf litter for most of their lives. The new species was discovered by botanists from Chulalongkorn University and Prince of Songkla University during surveys in the park. It was found at an unusually high elevation of nearly 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) in a dry, montane evergreen forest, which is an uncommon habitat for the genus.
The study, published in PhytoKeys, brings the total number of Thismia species recorded in Thailand to 16. This discovery is significant as the new species extends the known range of the Thismia section Geomitra, previously found only in Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, and Sumatra. The devil flower is mostly black with horn-like appendages and patches of vivid reddish-orange, resembling a demon's glowing eyes, hence its fitting name.
However, with its habitat being a small area within a popular tourist park, the species is critically endangered and requires a sustainable conservation approach that harmonizes biodiversity protection with human engagement, such as promoting local pride in natural heritage and supporting ecotourism.
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