News Plants

This tentacled, parasitic ‘fairy lantern’ plant is new to science

Thismia malayana and its relatives are elusive plants that can seemingly vanish for decades

A new-to-science "fairy lantern" is seen poking just above dead leaves. A bright yellow is ringed by brownish tentacle-like parts that stick out almost perpendicular. This all sits atop a slug-shaped part with orange stripes, which is attached to a thinner, longer pale stem.

A newly described species of parasitic fairy lantern, Thismia malayana, (shown) has a striking, alien appearance. This plant and its close relatives have peculiar, delicate flowers that evolved to draw in flies and other pollinating insects.

M.Y. Siti-Munirah

By Jake Buehler

In the weird world of chlorophyll-free “fairy lantern” plants, there’s a new species to admire.