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KOTA KINABALU: A mysterious plant specimen discovered at Tawau Hills Park in 2014 has finally been confirmed as a new plant species endemic to Sabah .
The discovery by researchers from Universiti Malaysia Sabah led to the classification of this unidentified plant, which had remained in a herbarium collection for 12 years, as Ardisia condensiflora. The species was discovered and confirmed by researchers from the Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation , UMS, Dr Avelinah Julius and Dr Timothy M.A. Utteridge from the Singapore Botanic Gardens and ITBC, UMS.
According to a statement by ITBC, the plant grows in shaded lowland mixed dipterocarp forests and along riverbanks within the protected area of Tawau Hills Park.
“To confirm its status, detailed taxonomic and herbarium studies were carried out using specimens on loan from the Sabah Parks Herbarium. “The process underlines the importance of herbarium collections and sustained institutional collaboration in bringing hidden biodiversity to light,” the statement said. The studies found Ardisia condensiflora to be known only from Tawau Hills Park, making it endemic to Sabah.
Based on only two recorded collections, the species is considered rare and has been preliminarily assessed by the authors as ‘vulnerable ’ under the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List criteria due to its highly restricted habitat range, although it has yet to receive a formal IUCN listing. Meanwhile, UMS Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Kasim Mansor said Sabah’s forests remain among the world’s most valuable “living laboratories”.
Avelinah said the discovery serves as a reminder that Borneo still harbours many species yet to be documented by science.
“Scientific exploration, herbarium research and continuous conservation efforts are essential to ensure these species do not perish before they are even known to science,” she said. The identification of this new species was officially published on May 26 in one of the world’s leading renowned botanical taxonomy journals, Phytotaxa .
This publication was among the outcomes of a collaboration formalised through a letter of intent between UMS and the Singapore Botanic Gardens, as well as ongoing research support from Sabah Parks through a memorandum of understanding with ITBC, UMS. Avelinah has contributed to the discovery and confirmation of at least five new Ardisia species from the region since 2017.
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Plant Specimen Tawau Hills Park Endemic Sabah Universiti Malaysia Sabah Herbarium Ardisia Condensiflora Institute For Tropical Biology And Conservation Dr Avelinah Julius Dr Timothy M.A. Utteridge Singapore Botanic Gardens
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