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From an underground “forest” to spectacular orchids, scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, discovered 74 new plants and 15 fungi last year.
Many of the mysterious species were found in unlikely places, such as on the top of a volcano or clinging to Antarctic rocks.
The new finds need immediate protection and at least one will probably already have been lost, the scientists say.
About three-quarters of undescribed plants are threatened with extinction.
The top-10 species described as new to science in 2023 are a reminder of the beauty and wonder of the natural world – and a stark warning of the dangers of biodiversity loss and climate change, the researchers say.
Giving a species a scientific name was the first step towards putting protections in place and investigating potential uses for humanity, senior research leader Dr Martin Cheek said.
“The sheer sense of wonder when you realise that you’ve found a species that is totally unknown to the rest of the world’s scientists and in fact everyone else on the planet, in many cases, is what makes life living,” he told BBC News.
“It’s a huge boost.”
Kew’s top-10 global discoveries for 2023 include:
Antarctica is virtually devoid of flowering plants – but lichens can gain a foothold on small areas of exposed bare rock.
Only 5-10% of all existing fungal species are known – found not just in remote unexplored areas
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