Malaysian naturalist discovers new ‘fairy lantern’ plant species at popular picnic spot

A remarkable botanical discovery has emerged from an unlikely location—a busy picnic area in Malaysia’s Hulu Langat Forest Reserve. In November 2023, naturalist Gim Siew Tan spotted an unusual plant with delicate whitish-peach flowers growing near a tree’s base, leading to the identification of an entirely new species.

The plant, now scientifically named *Thismia selangorensis* after Selangor state where it was found, belongs to the mysterious “fairy lantern” family. These extraordinary plants live almost entirely underground, lacking the green chlorophyll that most plants use for photosynthesis. Instead, they survive by parasitizing fungi in the nutrient-rich forest soil, emerging above ground only briefly to flower between October and February.

“This discovery shows that significant scientific finds are not limited to remote jungles; they can also be made in ordinary environments where constant human activity leaves little room for expectation,” said study lead author Siti-Munirah Mat Yunoh from Malaysia’s Forest Research Institute.

The discovery highlights how much biodiversity remains hidden in plain sight, even in areas frequented by humans. Fairy lanterns spend most of their lives concealed beneath leaf litter and root systems, making them incredibly difficult to spot. Their small, inconspicuous flowers often go unnoticed by casual observers, requiring the trained eye of naturalists like Tan to recognize their significance. This finding underscores the importance of protecting diverse forest ecosystems, as they continue to harbor unknown species waiting to be discovered.