Scientists rediscovered a plant thought extinct, Ptilotus senarius, in northern Queensland, Australia, after 58 years.
Aaron Bean, a horticulturist, spotted the shrub on a private property in the Gilbert River region in June 2025. He uploaded photos to the iNaturalist app, where amateur scientists quickly confirmed it as the long-lost species.
Ptilotus senarius, a small slender shrub from the Amaranthaceae family, thrives in dry regions. Experts last recorded it in 1967.
Grazing threatened extinction
Cattle grazed the area continuously for over a century, and no recent specimens existed. Experts thus proposed “Presumed Extinct” status for Ptilotus senarius.
Researchers detailed the find in the Australian Journal of Botany. They stated: “We report the rediscovery of Ptilotus senarius AR Bean in northern Queensland, Australia, through the citizen science platform iNaturalist, 58 years after the last collection.”
iNaturalist app drives discovery
The population grows on private property, so researchers withheld the exact location. The study lauds iNaturalist for capturing remote observations, enabling instant global sharing, and linking to experts.
By July 2025, users uploaded over 104 million verifiable plant photos spanning 175,000 species.
“A plant can be photographed and, provided the observer has an internet connection, the occurrence record and all of its data potentially made available within 15 to 20 seconds,” the study explains. The platform excels at rediscovering extinct plants through its vast botanical network.
Conservation gains monitoring tool
Thomas Mesaglio, lead author from the University of New South Wales, explained: “Rediscoveries offer that opportunity to conduct follow-up, targeted surveys and consistent long-term monitoring.” iNaturalist excels at documenting biodiversity on private land, which professionals often cannot access.
Source: The Independent
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