Remarkable new plant species steals nutrients from underground fungi

A distinctive plant that steals nutrients from underground fungi has been discovered as a new species by botanists from the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) in collaboration with local naturalists and stakeholders. The research is published in a journal PhytoKeys.

Discovered in the tropical rainforests of Peninsular Malaysia, Thismia malayana belongs to a group of plants known as mycoheterotrophs. Unlike most plants, mycoheterotrophs do not perform photosynthesis. Instead, they act like a parasite, stealing carbon sources from fungi on their roots.

This adaptation utilizes mycorrhizal symbiosis, which is usually a mutually beneficial relationship between the colonizing fungi and the plant’s root system.

By stealing nutrients from fungi, this newly discovered species thrives in the low-light conditions of dense forest undergrowth, where its highly specialized flowers are pollinated by mosquitoes and other small insects.

The unusual plant is about 2 cm long and is usually found hidden in leaves and growing near tree roots or old rotten trunks. The research team identified Thismia malayana in two locations: in the lowlands of Gunung Angsi Forest Reserve in Negeri Sembilan and in the hilly diperocarp forests of Gunung Benom in Tengku Hassanal Wildlife Reserve, Pahang.

Despite its small size, Thismia malayana is very sensitive to environmental changes and has been classified as vulnerable according to the IUCN Red List criteria. Its limited distribution and the potential threat of trampling due to its proximity to hiking trails underscore the importance of continued conservation efforts.