English
Beijing, Jan 3 (PTI) Scientists have discovered a new endangered species of flowering plants in China.
It was discovered in southwest China’s Yunnan Province during a field survey.
The species, Primula Zhui, known in Chinese as Zhu Hua Baochun, was named after Zhu Hua, a researcher from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
It belongs to the Primulaceae family, woody flowering plants often known as the primrose family.
“It is named after Zhu for his great contribution to botanical research in tropical areas,” said Yang Bin, from CAS, author of the study published in the Nordic Journal of Botany.
Currently, there are fewer than 50 individual plants of the new species in three localities in Yunnan, the state run Xinhua news agency reported.
It has been designated a critically endangered species according to the classification by the World Conservation Union.
There are about 500 Primula species in the world. They are native to the temperate northern hemisphere and high altitude areas.
“The new species was found at a relatively low altitude area in south Yunnan this time. This enriches the public knowledge of the geographical distribution and diversity of this flowering plant,” said Yang.
This is published unedited from the PTI feed.
