PELAKITA.ID – In 2019, botanist Andrea Bianchi, along with local experts Aloyce and Ruben Mwakisoma, discovered an unfamiliar tree species while exploring two remote village forest reserves in Tanzania’s Udzungwa Mountains.
Even the Mwakisoma brothers, experienced guides in the region, had never seen such a tree before.
“This was a spine-tingling moment because if they didn’t recognize it, it could be something remarkable,” Bianchi told Ryan T. of Mongabay News.
The species has now been officially classified as Tessmannia princeps, a member of a genus typically found in West African rainforests.
Approximately 100 mature trees have been identified in the Boma la Mzinga and Uluti reserves, with their towering canopies reaching up to 40 meters above the forest floor.
Due to their restricted habitat and small population, these trees may be at risk.
Preliminary studies estimate their age to be between 2,000 and 3,000 years.
Situated within the Udzungwa Corridor—a 75-square-kilometer reforestation initiative connecting three protected areas—these trees highlight the importance of conservation.
Arafat Mtui from the Udzungwa Ecological Monitoring Centre believes such discoveries strengthen efforts to protect the region’s biodiversity.
Source: Mongabay News: https://lnkd.in/gnCpURa9
