New endangered ‘fairy lantern’ species discovered in Malaysia

Researchers have discovered a new species of the elusive ‘fairy lantern’ genus Thismia in a hill dipterocarp forest in eastern Peninsular Malaysia

A new study, published in the open-access journal PhytoKeys, highlights the unique features and critical conservation status of this newly identified species.

Thismia aliasii is a striking addition to the genus which consists of plants that are mycoheterotrophic, meaning they do not photosynthesise and instead rely entirely on fungi for their nutrition. The genus is known for containing species with unusual flowers that facilitate specialised pollination mechanisms involving small insects such as fungus gnats.

The new species has a remarkable appearance and was first documented by co-author Mohamad Alias Shakri in 2019 during a field expedition in Terengganu’s Chemerong Forest Eco Park.

"The discovery of Thismia aliasii is very interesting as it was found in a mountainous region known for its natural beauty. The discovery was made on the edge of a popular mountaineering trail, but, remarkably, the species was first recognised by Alias.

“It was not easy to obtain specimens for further study as its habitat is on the mountain and COVID time delayed search efforts. Fortunately, targeted field work to find this plant was successful with the support of NAGAO."

Thismia aliasii is provisionally classified as Critically Endangered (CR) under the IUCN Red List criteria, with only five individuals observed across multiple surveys. The primary threats to its survival stem from habitat degradation due to increasing hiking activities in the region.

This discovery adds to Terengganu’s reputation as a hotspot for Thismia diversity, being home to 13 species of the genus, including six endemics. 

The study was conducted by Siti-Munirah Mat Yunoh, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (https://www.frim.gov.my/), and Mohamad Alias Shakri, Terengganu Forestry Department (https://trgforestry.terengganu.gov.my/index.php?lang=my). The research was funded by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability under the 12th Malaysian Plan and supported by the Nagao Research Grant (https://www.nagaofoundation.or.jp/e/).

Original source

Siti-Munirah MY, Mohamad Alias S (2025) Thismia aliasii (Thismiaceae), a new species from Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia. PhytoKeys 254: 175-188. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.254.136085