After nearly 60 years without a confirmed sighting, researchers have rediscovered a plant they believed was extinct. 

The Ptilotus senarius is a small shrub native to Australia that recently reemerged in the wilderness. 

What's happening?

As Newsweek reported, Aaron Bean, a horticulturist, discovered the Ptilotus senarius while working on private land in northwest Queensland. Upon finding the rare plant, he uploaded photos to the iNaturalist platform for help identifying it.

Ptilotus senarius plant rediscovered in Queensland, Australia after 58 years via iNaturalist app. #PtilotusSenarius #Queensland #iNaturalist #sigmalive_english #plants #Australiahttps://t.co/rCWuoMjF7O

— SigmaLive English (@Sigmalive_EN) January 19, 2026

Botanists investigated the plant, verified it, and noted that it had, in fact, been alive — though out of sight — for the past six decades. 

"Rediscoveries offer that opportunity to conduct follow-up, targeted surveys and consistent long-term monitoring to give us a better understanding of exactly where and how these species are distributed across the landscape," ecologist Thomas Mesaglio said. 

Why are rare plant discoveries significant?

This story highlights how modern technology and publicly accessible platforms are helping uncover rare plants and support biodiversity. 

iNaturalist records species on private property that professional researchers may not be able to access. It and other platforms are changing the way conservation work is done and accomplishing things that traditional methods simply can't. 

Though amateurs and ordinary people can readily access and post to iNaturalist, their unique findings can instantly connect them with experts worldwide. iNaturalist has more than 104 million verified plant photos on its platform. 

The benefit is improved outcomes for habitat conservation and species biodiversity. Understanding the roles of native plants in the environment can help conservationists refine their strategies and better protect species crucial to food webs, pollination, and the global food supply. 

Meanwhile, hopeful stories of near-extinct species reemerging have also recently come from Ecuador, New Zealand, Brazil, and Papua New Guinea. 

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What's being done to support rare plant species?

If you are interested in protecting native species and helping them thrive where you live, you can start in your own backyard. Rewilding your yard involves skipping monoculture grass and letting native species thrive where they belong, with nature doing most of the work. 

You can also take local action to protect native species by volunteering your time or donating money to local conservation groups.

To get more involved, consider downloading the iNaturalist app so you can contribute to rare plant identification efforts and be more observant while spending time in nature.

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