2020 has given us all and now a new plant discovery! Scientists have found the world’s 'ugliest' orchid in the forests of Madagascar—Gastrodia Agnicellus. Why ugliest? Its ‘brown, fleshy and grotesque’ appearance, the species has been given the label by botanists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in the United Kingdom. Unusual among orchids, the plant is a fascinating one, and indicate how much we may miss of what is hiding in the forests. G. agnicellus is already considered a threatened species, which could be one of the reasons that the plant had not been recognised sooner. Video and picture of the new plant discovery are shared on social media platforms, highlighting how important it is to protect the environment.

Orchids are fascinating and there are so many variants of the flower species. The latest discovery challenges the usual approach of orchids being a delicate flower species. The blooms are often colourful and fragrant, but the latest one is described ugliest because of its appearance and fleshy nature. Although assessed as a threatened species, the plants have some protection because they are located in a national park. The flowers, too, are small—just 11 millimetres in length, ranging from brown to white in colour. No one realised the significance until recently. Walking Flower Mantis is A Beautiful Bug, Here’s What You Should Know About the Insect That Resembles Orchid Flower!

“Material of the new Gastrodia agnicellus, found near Ifanadiana in SE Madagascar in the 1990s, was recognised to belong in the genus and was initially considered to be G. madagascariensis,” botanist Johan Hermans of Kew Gardens wrote in the official description of the species. After several visits to the Ranomafana area, and extensive research, a small number of flowers were discovered and became clear that the flowers were quite different. The orchids were found in deep shade in a humid evergreen forest.

Watch Video: World's Ugliest Orchid, Gastrodia Agnicellus

A total of 156 new plants and fungi were discovered, highlighting the incredible diversity of species that remain to be found, with the potential to provide new crops, medicines and gardener’s favourites.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 18, 2020 02:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).