Scientists Stunned After Finding Plant Thought Extinct for 60 Years
A plant thought to be extinct for nearly 60 years has been rediscovered in northern Queensland, Australia, thanks to a bird bander's photo uploaded to the citizen science platform iNaturalist. The rediscovery has led to the plant being placed on the critically endangered list, paving the way for conservation efforts.
A plant believed to be extinct for nearly 60 years has been rediscovered in northern Queensland, Australia. Aaron Bean, a professional horticulturalist and bird bander, photographed the plant on a vast outback property and uploaded the images to iNaturalist. The plant, *Ptilotus senarius*, was identified by Anthony Bean, a botanist at the Queensland Herbarium, who had previously described the species. The rediscovery was made possible by citizen science platforms and has led to the plant being placed on the critically endangered list. The find highlights the importance of public participation in documenting biodiversity, particularly in remote and privately owned areas. Conservation efforts are now underway to protect the species.
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