Scientists have discovered a new species of ‘fairy lantern’ in a forest in Malaysia. ‘Fairy lanterns‘ (or thismia) are very unique plants that look like tiny glowing lights.

They are very rare and what’s even more amazing is that they do not have leaves. This means, unlike other plants, they don’t get their food from sunlight. Moreover, they are found deep in the forest where there is very little sunlight.

So, how do they survive? They survive by getting food from fungi (mushroom-like organisms) that live under the ground. The fungi form a network that connects the plants to each other and helps them “talk” to each other.

The newly-found fairy lantern

This new species of fairy lantern is very tiny, standing only 2.2 cm tall. It is greenish-brown in colour and its flowers give off a warm orange-yellow glow. Its flower looks like a tiny umbrella. See it in the video below.

Sadly, even though scientists have just found it, the plant is already in great danger. Only four of these plants have been seen. Other fairy lanterns are also found in East and Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, and the Americas.

 

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