Recently, scientific researchers from the School of Life Sciences at Sun Yat-sen University discovered Cycas fairylakea, a nationally protected wild plant, in the Guangdong’s Danxia Mountain National Nature Reserve. This is the first time that wild cycads have been discovered in the Danxia landform.
(Photo: Fan Qiang)
Cycas fairylakea is a species of cycad endemic to China. There are only two remaining subpopulations in eastern Guangdong province, China. This ancient relic plant can be traced back to the Late Carboniferous Period, 300 million years ago. It grows slowly and is difficult to propagate. It holds great scientific research value and is a precious plant resource. Existing cycads are also considered "living fossils" of plants and are among the world's most rare and endangered plants.
The scientific expedition team discovered the distribution of Cycas fairylakea in three areas within the Danxia Mountain National Reserve. Molecular biology research has shown that Cycas fairylakea in the Danxia Mountain range has high genetic diversity. Clues about these wild Cycas fairylakea growing in Danxia Mountain were provided by the Danxia Mountain Management Committee, and the scientific expedition team finally discovered them after conducting repeated inspections into the deep forests of Danxia Mountain.
Since December 2021, the Danxia Mountain National Park Biodiversity Scientific Research Project has been launched. The scientific research team at Sun Yat-sen University discovered and published eight new plant species in Danxia Mountain, as well as several new species distributed in Guangdong Province. During the extended investigation, the scientific expedition team also discovered many new species, such as viola and Danxia sycamore, in Danxia landforms, karst landforms, and other areas in Heyuan, Meizhou, Qingyuan, and other places.
Author | Alice
Editor | Nan, Will, James
