On the slopes of Thailand's Thong Pha Phum National Park, in a mountain forest at an altitude of 950–970 meters, botanists made a sinister discovery. Among the fallen leaves, flowers so unusual peeked out that their appearance could have inspired a horror film designer: black petals, as if forged from black metal, three horn-like projections resembling horns, and orange-red spots reminiscent of a demon's burning eyes.
The new species received an impressive name — Thismia daemona. Its description was published in August 2026 in the journal PhytoKeys by a group of botanists from Chulalongkorn University and Prince of Songkla University, led by Tosak Seelanan and Sahut Chantanaorrapint. The plant belongs to the genus Thismia, whose members are called 'fairy lanterns' due to the bizarre shape of their flowers. But unlike picturesque legends, its life is extremely secretive: the plant spends almost entirely underground, in the complete darkness of the forest floor. Lacking chlorophyll, it is incapable of photosynthesis and obtains all necessary nutrients from symbiotic fungi that envelop its underground roots.
The find shocked even experienced researchers. Previously, all known species of the section Geomitra were found only in constantly humid lowland tropical forests of the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, and Sumatra. Thismia daemona, however, inhabits a seasonal mountain forest with bamboo — an environment much drier and cooler. This discovery expands the known range of the entire section northward and demonstrates the remarkable flexibility of such seemingly specialized plants. According to Dr. Sahut Chantanaorrapint: 'The discovery of Thismia daemona in Thong Pha Phum National Park was a true surprise for us.'
At the same time, the joy of the discovery is overshadowed by alarming numbers. In nature, only one population is known — fewer than 50 individuals over an area of less than 0,05 square kilometer. According to the assessment of the international botanical community, the new species has already been classified as critically endangered. The danger is compounded by the fact that the rare population exists within a popular tourist park. Even accidental trampling of trails or a slight change in soil moisture could destroy the last known habitat of the species, and with it Thismia daemona itself.
Such discoveries remind us how fragile a wonder of nature can be. The survival of this underground demon requires not just a ban on collection, but a long-term strategy. Dr. Chantanaorrapint emphasizes the need for cooperation with the local community and the implementation of the UNESCO 'Man and the Biosphere' concept — an approach that harmonizes biodiversity protection with human participation, including well-designed ecotourism that does not disturb the fragile balance of the underground world.
