In West Papua, international research teams discovered 23 new orchid species in nature reserves and rediscovered several species that had not been seen for decades — among them Taeniophyllum maximum, which was found again after 107 years. The discoveries are part of an ongoing exploration launched in 2022 in pristine rainforest regions, highlighting the immense untapped species potential of this area.
The new species are set to be formally named and scientifically published in the coming years — a glimmer of hope for orchid biodiversity and conservation research.
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Card credit: Mandavi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
