When Peruvian naturalist Carlos Pérez Peña uploaded a photograph of a resplendent red flower to the citizen science platform iNaturalist, he had no idea he had made an amazing discovery.
His image caught the attention of an international team of researchers, who collected, identified and documented the plant as a brand-new species, which they named Nasa katjae.
Belonging to the blazing star family (Loasaceae), the enchanting plant grows in the high-altitude forests near the mountain town of Colasay in the Cajamarca region of the Peruvian Andes.
Its elegant, trailing stems and mesmerising scarlet-red blooms are perfectly shaped for hummingbird pollination.
Yet, despite its beauty, Nasa katjae is already considered vulnerable due to its limited range and the threats of deforestation and climate change, say the researchers, who published their findings in the journal PhytoKeys.
Overlooked gems
This discovery shines a spotlight on the Amotape-Huancabamba Zone, a biodiversity hotspot in northern Peru and southern Ecuador teeming with rare and often-overlooked species.
The research team behind the find warn that without urgent conservation efforts, many of these ecological gems could vanish before they are even known to science.
Lead author Dr Tilo Henning, of the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, reflects on the magnitude of the discovery, saying that “If we have overlooked this striking plant, think about what we have missed in more unobtrusive organismal groups such as mosses, fungi and insects.”
Despite some areas in northern Peru recently receiving formal protection, the forest where Nasa katjae was found remains unprotected. The study authors call for immediate action to safeguard these irreplaceable habitats before they are lost forever.
The magic of citizen science
The story of Nasa katjae is a testament to the potential of digital platforms such as iNaturalist, says Henning, explaining that these tools empower nature enthusiasts worldwide to contribute to science and conservation, bridging the gap between passionate observers and professional researchers.
“Discovering such a conspicuous flowering plant in a forest directly adjacent to a larger human settlement signifies that we have not even begun to fully map the biodiversity of some regions. We urgently need more taxonomists and funding to meaningfully tackle this.”
Main image: forest in Peru/Getty
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