Experts stunned after rediscovering species once thought extinct: 'Very serendipitous'

A previously lost wildflower has reappeared, offering a dose of hope for nature lovers. In January, Australian researchers announced that Ptilotus senarius, a small purple-pink shrub, was rediscovered in a remote corner of Queensland, according to a University of New South Wales press release.

Birdwatcher Aaron Bean took pictures of the plant at an outback station and uploaded them to the citizen science platform iNaturalist. The database now has about 4 million users logging nearly 300 million observations, and Bean's pictures quickly reached experts.

Good news Friday! 📸 In 2025, citizen scientists helped rediscover Ptilotus senarius, a native shrub with purple-pink...

Posted by UNSW on Thursday, January 22, 2026

A botanist at the Queensland Herbarium confirmed the identification. Researcher Thomas Mesaglio of UNSW called the turn of events "very serendipitous," given the unlikely chain of events.

The plant's distinct feathery blooms gave it away. Ptilotus senarius is found only in a rugged area near the Gulf of Carpentaria in Queensland, and it has not been collected since 1967.

Scientists secured a specimen with a landowner's help and confirmed it was indeed the long-lost shrub. The species was upgraded from "missing" to "critically endangered," triggering new conservation protections.

Mesaglio said, "It's one of these situations where everything had to fall into place, and there was a bit of good fortune involved."

Experts said this rediscovery is a win for biodiversity and local communities. It adds to a growing list of species thought to be gone but now found again, showing that lost plants can make comebacks.

Similar success stories have appeared elsewhere. 

Citizen scientists documented the return of Canada's long-lost Illinois Tick-Trefoil, and conservationists in South Africa rediscovered a rare shrub known as Erica cunoniensis. These findings underscore the value of engaging everyday people and landowners in science.

As Mesaglio noted, involving local landowners "makes them far more likely to be interested and invested in protecting that diversity." This kind of local action can turn curious observers into conservation partners.

If you want to help out, join iNaturalist, or look into the many local and global citizen science projects hosted by Zooniverse.

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