Main image via Smithsonian
In 1866, Odoardo Beccari, an Italian botanist, discovered this weird-looking plant as he was exploring the Malaysian rainforests.
Odoardo, fascinated by the plant, sketched an image of it in his notebook, not knowing that his depiction of the plant would be its only record for over 150 years – up until now.
Image via Science Alert
Researchers from the Crop Research Institute and Palacky University in the Czech Republic rediscovered Thismia Neptunis in Gunung Matang Massif, Western Sarawak. The plant looked almost exactly as described by Odoardo.
Image via Science Alert
Interestingly, this plant doesn’t have any green leaves. Instead of gaining nutrients through sunlight and photosynthesis, this plant takes its nutrients from underground fungi.
Image via Science Alert
The Thismia Neptunis mostly lives underground and only appears above ground for a few weeks in a year.
Newsweek reports that the area where Thismia Neptunis was found is close to the edge of human development, and it’s believed that fewer than 50 Neptunis exist in the world, making them critically endangered.
Image via Atlas Obscura
Article via Atlas Obscura and Smithsonian
Filled Under :
*We reserve the right to delete comments that contain inappropriate content.