For our science and nature lovers, a new species of parasitic plant was discovered in the lowland forests of Yakushima (Kagoshima pref.).

Sciaphila yakushimensis, the new plant species first discovered on Yakushima. Source: Kobe University

Professor Suetsugu Kenji of Kobe University discovered the plant in October 2015. From the Kobe University Graduate School of Science:

This 5cm long plant species is closely related to the Sciaphila japonica of the Triuridaceae family. They determined that it was a different species from the following observations: the parts above ground are a dark purple, the filament of the male (staminate) flower is no higher than the anther, and the style of the female (pistillate) flower is club-shaped with multiple papillae.They named the new species Sciaphila yakushimensis (Suetsugu, Tsukaya & H. Ohashi) after its place of discovery.

Incidentally, Yakushima is also the forest that inspired the landscapes of Mononoke-hime.

Check out the full details on this discovery at the Kobe University Graduate School of Science. (via Interrete)