PETALING JAYA: A new species of fairy lantern has been ­discovered by local researchers in Taman Eko Rimba Sungai Congkak in Selangor. The fairy lantern, or Thismia selangorensis, is a distinct mitriform species of the mycoheterotrophic genus Thismia and was first discovered in a tree hole near a riverbank. With fewer than 20 plants of the species identified so far, it might be considered critically endangered. According to PhytoKey, a ­scientific journal published on a peer-reviewed and open access journal site, co-author and naturalist Tan Gim Siew discovered the species in November 2023. Currently, there are 120 species of fairy lanterns known across the world.

Source: The Star January 08, 2026 07:32 UTC