The race to discover and protect Earth’s hidden plants

The discovery of totally new plant species may seem impossible today, but the truth is, researchers are still uncovering dozens of new plant species every year.

From the palm in Borneo that flowers underground to the orchid thriving parasitically on other plants in Madagascar, the strangeness of these species illustrate how little we know about Earth’s natural secrets.

Published in New Phytologist, the study spotlights undiscovered flora and pinpoints the regions of the world where botanists should focus their attention. The majority of these ‘dark spots’ are in Asia, with key areas in Sumatra, the eastern Himalayas, and Vietnam.

South America and Africa also host such treasures, particularly in Colombia, Peru, Madagascar, and South Africa. Most of these regions overlap with biodiversity ‘hotspots’ – areas recognised for their rich, but increasingly fragile ecosystems.

Plants form the foundation of countless ecosystems, and their extinction threatens not only the species that depend on them but the balance of nature itself. Many of these undiscovered plants may also contain medicinal properties or provide the basis for new sustainable technologies.

Losing them could mean losing critical knowledge that could benefit humanity.

The bad news is, we are losing many species before scientists can even find out they exist.

Professor Alexandre Antonelli, the director of science at Kew and a senior author of the study, warns that the current rate of species identification is inadequate.

With entire ecosystems ravaged by industrial agriculture, urban expansion, and climate change, plant species are vanishing faster than scientist can catalog them.

‘We are protecting 30% of the planet by this decade under current UN targets – but we don’t know which areas to protect unless we have the right information,’ Antonelli points out.

In other words, how can we save what we do not even know we have?

Previous research has shown that the global scientific community has not been particularly efficient in documenting biodiversity. Biologists have often returned to well-studied regions, neglecting areas teeming with unknown species.

Many of these ‘hotspots’ are located in countries with limited capacity for species identification, meaning global collaboration is essential.

Scientists hope this new analysis will foster partnerships between research institutions and local communities in these areas, combining their efforts to fast-track species discovery and protection.

Dr. Samuel Pironon, a biology lecturer at Queen Mary University of London and a lead author of the paper, emphasised the need for collaboration. ‘All countries have agreed to preserve and restore biodiversity, including plant biodiversity. How do we do this if we don’t know what species we are talking about or what the biodiversity is and where we can restore it?’

Beyond formal institutions, everyday citizens can also play a vital role. Platforms like iNaturalist allow individuals to photograph and share images of plant species in their local environments, helping scientists identify and document flora from across the globe.

As Pironon notes, this partnership between scientists and citizens is crucial in areas where field research is limited.

The importance of discovering hidden plant species extends beyond botany.

Each species lost represents a gap in the ecosystem, a potential cure undiscovered, or a technology unrealised. The current trajectory of environmental destruction and extinction is a worrying indicator of what’s at stake.

Next month, the world’s governments will gather for the Cop16 biodiversity summit in Colombia. This will be the first time since 2022 that leaders have gathered to assess global targets aimed at preserving Earth’s biodiversity.

As we know from other Cop meetings, these events can only do so much. The real challenge lies in turning these talks into action – in investing in research and partnerships that can help us overcome environmental dilemmas before its too late.

After all, the extinction of a species – plant or animal – is forever.