The stunning flower found nowhere else on Earth but Vietnam is already threatened and needs protection
As far as scientists know, Vietnam is the only place on Earth where this remarkable flower grows. It is not only eye-catching, but also extremely rare.
In early 2022, foresters in Vietnam came across a strikingly unusual plant. After study and identification, experts confirmed it was a new species endemic to Vietnam: Mỹ nhụy răng cưa (roughly, "serrated beautiful-stigma").
The endemic plant Deinostigma serratum (Mỹ nhụy răng cưa).
The plant's scientific name is Deinostigma serratum F.Wen, L.N.Tuan & D.Dien, a member of the African violet family (Gesneriaceae). It was discovered in Phong Điền Nature Reserve, in the former Thừa Thiên Huế province (now Huế city) in central Vietnam.
The flower grows on damp rock faces, around waterfalls and along stream banks, and its striking appearance catches the eye at first glance. Compared with other Deinostigma species with serrated corolla margins, D. serratum has broader leaf blades, short margins and stalks, and smaller corollas…
With the discovery of D. serratum, Vietnam gains another endemic plant species. It is valuable not only to science but also adds to the scenery of the area where it grows.
Notably, although it has only just been discovered, the species already faces the risk of disappearing altogether. It is classed as Vulnerable (VU, D2) under the IUCN Red List criteria. Experts are currently working to protect it.
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