By: Kai Wang

Researchers worldwide are excited about the rediscovery of the Thismia kobensis, or Fairy Lantern, a rare and elusive Japanese plant. The Thismia kobensis was first found in Kobe, Japan in 1992. But it has been considered extinct since an industrial complex was built in the area, destroying the plant’s habitat.

Fortunately, on February 27, 2023, a team led by Kobe University biologist Kenji Suetsugu revealed that the plants were still alive. They had been found in a forest trail 19 miles from Kobe. An examination of the plant revealed that it had been closely related to the Thismia Americana.

The Thismia Americana was found near Chicago, Illinois, over 100 years ago. The connection between “plant species in Eastern Asia and North America having close relationships and disjunct distributions across these regions is not uncommon and can often be attributed to migration through the Beringia land bridge,” said Kobe University.

The Beringia or Bering is a land bridge that connected Asia and North America over 10,000 years ago, creating a path for plants, animals, and possibly people.

Fairy lanterns can be in tropical forests. The plants spend most of their time underground and are difficult to locate. Since these plants don’t photosynthesize they steal energy from fungi that grow around their roots.

Unfortunately, these plants are critically endangered. Most of the 90 species discovered are shortly lost. They are exploring new ways to grow Thismia kobensis in a botanical garden.