Rosa lucidissima, also known as the shiny-leafed rose, is an exceptionally rare and critically endangered species of wild rose. During a recent biodiversity survey in the Foding Mountain National Nature Reserve in Shiqian, Guizhou, researchers identified four specimens of the species growing at the edge of the forest at an elevation of around 700 meters.
Classified as a nationally protected plant in China, Rosa lucidissima has been sporadically discovered in regions including Guizhou, Hubei, Sichuan and Chongqing. Due to factors such as human interference and forest degradation, its natural habitat has dwindled significantly, making the species exceedingly rare in the wild.
The Foding Mountain National Nature Reserve, with its impressive 91 percent forest coverage, provides a crucial sanctuary for a diverse range of rare plants.