This undated combo photomicrograph provided by the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG), Chinese Academy of Sciences shows details of the new firmoss species Huperzia crassifolia discovered in southwest China's Guizhou Province.
Researchers from the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have discovered a new firmoss species in southwest China, an extract from which has been proved to be effective in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
The new species, later named Huperzia crassifolia, was found during a medicinal plant inventory in Guizhou Province, according to a CAS press release.
Liu Hongmei, an associate researcher at XTBG, stated that Huperzia, commonly known as firmoss, comprises about 25 species and primarily grows in temperate and boreal climatic zones.
The newly discovered Huperzia crassifolia is a terrestrial firmoss. While it resembles the general morphology of other Huperzia species, it can be easily distinguished by its thicker texture and round-lanceolate pinnae, Liu added on Monday.
The new firmoss species, named Huperzia crassifolia, was discovered during a medical plant inventory in southwest China's Guizhou Province.
According to Liu, Huperzine A, a substance found in firmoss plants, has been shown to be very effective in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
The new species is currently known to grow only in Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan and Chongqing in China. It typically thrives in humus-rich soils in broadleaf forests at altitudes ranging from 1,100 to 1,900 meters above sea level, with very small populations at each locality, Liu added.
"If people know its medicinal value, Huperzia crassifolia may be in danger of being over-collected. We tentatively propose its conservation status as Endangered (EN) according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categories and criteria," said Liu.
The findings have been published in the scientific journal PhytoKeys.
(Cover and photos courtesy of Liu Hongmei)