Orchid Species New to Science
Orchids are one of the largest plant families in existence, and that family is still growing. There’s always a steady stream of orchids which are new to science. Recent discoveries include a Vanilla species from Vietnam, a Palmorchis from the Amazon, and a bright orange Dendrochilum from the Philippines. There’s also a fascinating little Corybas, or Helmut Orchid, with bright pink stripes on its leaves.
Most scientists are clearer nowadays about saying that these species are “new to science,” not “new discoveries.” This is, of course, because many of these plants have long been known to indigenous peoples. Indeed, botanical papers describing new finds often talk about traditional uses of those plants by native peoples, for food, medicine, or cultural purposes. That’s proof that many “undiscovered” species were well known by locals long before they were found by botanists. Catch up on more orchids new to science at Novataxa.com.
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