Rediscovery of a presumed extinct plant species, Ptilotus senarius (Amaranthaceae), through iNaturalist

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Authors: Thomas Mesaglio, Anthony Russell Bean, Aaron Bean
Cited by: 0
References: 27

Abstract

Over the past few centuries, over 900 plant species globally have gone extinct in the wild; however, there are also hundreds of species that have been rediscovered after previously being considered extinct. We report the rediscovery of Ptilotus senarius A.R.Bean (Amaranthaceae) in northern Queensland, Australia, through the citizen science platform iNaturalist, 58 years after the last collection, and present photographs of the species. We discuss the strengths of iNaturalist that assist rediscoveries of extinct and long-lost plant species, including the facilitation of records from private land, rapid data availability, and its large network of botanical experts. We provide recommendations for accelerating species rediscovery through the platform.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Botany and Plant Ecology Studies Mediterranean and Iberian flora and fauna Species Distribution and Climate Change

Publication details

Journal / source
Australian Journal of Botany
Volume
74
Issue
1
Publication date
18 January 2026
Language
EN