Botanists exploring Thong Pha Phum National Park in western Thailand have discovered Thismia daemona—a bizarre, underground-dwelling plant dubbed the "devil flower".
Published in PhytoKeys, the discovery brings Thailand's total Thismia species to 16.
- Eerie Appearance: The plant earned its name from its black, dome-shaped top featuring dark horn-like appendages and glowing reddish-orange patches near its base that look like eyes peeking out from the soil.
- No Sunlight Needed: Lacking chlorophyll, T. daemona cannot photosynthesize. It stays hidden beneath leaf litter and absorbs nutrients directly from underground fungal networks.
- Surprising Habitat: Found nearly 1,000 meters above sea level in a seasonal montane forest, this species expands the known northern geographical range of its subgroup (Thismia section Geomitra).
- Already Endangered: With a single known population of fewer than 50 plants—occupying an area smaller than a football pitch near high-traffic tourist zones—researchers have provisionally listed it as Critically Endangered and are pushing for community-led conservation efforts.
