Britain's rarest plant, a "holy grail" orchid, has been rediscovered for the first time since 2009, and scientists are now working to protect it from slugs, deer – and poachers.
The ghost orchid was discovered earlier this month by Richard Bate, a dental surgeon, orchid lover and member of the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI). Its location in England is now being kept secret to protect its sensitive underground parts from being trampled by enthusiasts who would flock to see it – or having its flower plucked by a poacher. Bate has spent 30 years searching deep, dark woodland in the hope of catching a glimpse of this rare flower.
Prof Ian Denholm, one of BSBI's two national expert referees on orchids, said: "[The] ghost orchid has long been the holy grail for British botanists. There was a brief flurry of records in the 1960s and 1970s, and I was lucky enough to see a single specimen in the mid-1980s. Since then, I reckon only six people have knowingly observed it in the wild in Britain. It is wonderful news that it has reappeared and let's hope it does again."
Read more at The Guardian.