Overview

• Researchers from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and global collaborators named 149 plants and 23 fungi new to science in 2024, spanning regions from Indonesia to the UK.
• Highlights include a ghost palm from Borneo, marzipan-scented lianas, and fungi with tooth-like structures, underscoring the diversity of life still being uncovered.
• Several of the newly identified species, such as a Vietnamese liana and Indonesian orchids, are already critically endangered due to habitat destruction from human activities like cement manufacturing and farming.
• The Afrothismiaceae family, newly classified in 2024, consists of rare African plants that survive entirely on fungal partnerships rather than photosynthesis.
• Experts warn that biodiversity loss is accelerating, with many species potentially going extinct before discovery, and call for increased funding, training, and awareness to support conservation efforts.