A long-lost plant species has been rediscovered in the jungles of Thailand after not having been seen for 130 years, according to the Bangkok Post.
The plant, known locally as the "hairy tiger ear," was first recorded in 1896. It was later rediscovered in 2004 as a preserved specimen in Singapore and renamed Plectranthus tomentifolius Suddee after botanists "assumed it had already vanished from the wild," per the Bangkok Post.
Decadeslong searches failed to find a trace of the plant in the wild until a national study on species that grow in limestone formations.
Researchers in Thailand performed fresh fieldwork in Khao Sok National Park in Surat Thani in 2021 and Phangnga Bay National Park in Phangnga in 2025. Teams found an unfamiliar shrub growing on cliffsides and collected the specimens. Botanical experts confirmed it was the plant, reassigning its scientific name as Coleus tomentifolius (Suddee) Suddee.
The plant was believed to be extinct across all its native regions.
The rediscovery of this species sparks hope for the planet. As climate change progresses, many plant species are growing in harsher conditions. As they struggle to adapt, native plants die off, destroying animal habitats.
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This can lead to an increase in human encounters with wildlife and put food supplies in danger as pollinators fight to survive.
Native plants create shelter and food sources for animals within an ecosystem. They have coevolved with other species and created relationships to help habitats thrive.
When native plants grow and flourish, other species reap the benefits.
Plant species must be protected to ensure a cleaner, healthier planet. Thailand's Department of National Parks has confirmed it will continue surveying for new specimens and protecting these rare plants from harm.
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