Scientists have recently discovered a new plant species, Thismia malayana, which survives by obtaining nutrients from underground fungi.
Thismia malayana was discovered in the tropical forests of Malaysia, belonging to the group of mycoheterotrophic plants.
Mycoheterotrophs do not require photosynthesis and behave like parasites, stealing carbon resources from the fungi on their roots.
This adaptation takes advantage of mycorrhizal symbiosis, which is typically a mutually beneficial relationship between fungi and a plant’s root system.
By extracting nutrients from fungi, this newly discovered species thrives in the low light conditions of dense understories, where fungus flies and other small insects pollinate its unique flowers.
This plant is about 2 cm long, hidden in the layer of decaying leaves and growing near the roots of trees or old decaying logs.
Despite its small size, Thismia malayana is very sensitive to environmental changes.
It is classified as a vulnerable species according to the IUCN Red List criteria.
