Spathelia belizensis, new species of tree discovered in Belize
This species is endemic to Belize (found nowhere else in the world), it is monocarpic - fruits once then dies. Specifically, it is found only in the Golden Stream Corridor Preserve, and a small part of the Columbia River Forest Reserve. Steven W. Brewer, the amazingly talented botanist who discovered it thinks the seeds (designed for wind dispersal) of its ancestor may have been transported from Cuba by a hurricane. Huge congrats Steven W. Brewer, Gail Stott (assisting in the collection) and the Ya'axche Conservation Trust team who manage and protect its forest habitat.
Read the full article here.
Photographs by Lee Mcloughlin
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