Kamchatka’s flora has been replenished with a new plant species
A new species of plant has been discovered in Kamchatka for the peninsula – podbukovy podelnik, reported RAI KAMCHATKA-INFORM at the Vitus Bering KamSU.
The discovery was made by university staff during field work in 2024. Podbukovy podelnik was found in the central part of the peninsula, in a spruce forest on the way to the village of Esso.
This rare yellow chlorophyll–free plant belongs to the group of saprophytes, organisms that live in symbiosis with fungi and feed mainly on decaying plant litter.
“After a long trip, we stopped to stretch our legs. During a walk, an unknown chlorophyll-free saprophytic plant was discovered. This aroused my particular interest, since there are quite a few chlorophyll–free plants in Kamchatka,” said Mikhail Kozhin, a researcher at KamSU.
The flora of the region includes about 1300 species, including a number of endemic species found only in Kamchatka.
Photo: Vitus Bering KamSU.