Japanese botanists were surprised to discover that a fascinating and little-known plant called the fairy lantern has reappeared in a forest in the country, after thirty years of being considered extinct.
The name refers to its appearance, which looks like a small flashlight. Composed of a vibrant yellow color, the plant is known to be mystical.
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a very rare specimen
Something interesting about the “fairy lantern”, as the little flower is known, is that it does not photosynthesize and has no leaves.
Despite this, it belongs to the genus Thismia and ninety species have already been described in different parts of the world, including Brazil.
For about 30 years, one of these species, with the scientific name of Thismia kobensis, was considered extinct.
She had been discovered in Japan, in 1992, and was never seen again, due to deforestation in the city of Kobe, the region where it was found in the 1990s.
After three decades, scientists managed to rediscover this species of fairy lantern, approximately 30 km from the location where it was originally discovered.
This discovery provided researchers with a unique opportunity to identify unprecedented characteristics of the plant, such as differences between species belonging to the same genus.
Similarities to the American cousin
The researchers were surprised to discover a possible parentage connection between the Kobe fairy lantern and the American fairy lantern (Thismia americana).
A Thismia americana was found more than 100 years ago, near the city of Chicago, and is currently considered an endangered species.
This relationship serves to further the theory of plant migration across the Bering Strait. The main vestige of this is that plant species in East Asia and North America have morphological similarities.
Fairy lantern can also be found in Brazil
One of the species of this rare flower can be found in Brazil, called Thismia panamensis. It was found for the first time in 2015, in the Parque Natural Municipal da Mata do Açude, in the city of Jataí, in Goias.
The Brazilian version has pink tones and measures between 3 to 6 centimeters. Its flowering takes place during the rainy season.
This discovery shows the importance of preserving natural habitats and carrying out research for the knowledge and conservation of species, such as the fairy lantern.
