In 1992, in the Kobe region of Japan, biologists Nakanishi and Kobayashi encountered a peculiar plant informally known as the gate of the spirits. This tiny vegetable, with a whitish skin and a rough, almost scuffed look that catches the eye in damp forest floors, sparked curiosity. The scientists gathered a sample and brought it to a laboratory to study its features more closely.
What they found was a single example of the genus Thismia, a group commonly referred to as fairy lanterns for their astonishingly non-photosynthetic appearance. These plants lack the green leaves typical of many flora and instead derive nutrients from nearby organisms through unusual means. Approximately ninety species have been identified within Thismia to date, yet none matched the distinctive form of the Kobe specimen, which led researchers to christen it Thismia kobensisfue and sparked a sustained hunt for additional members of this rare lineage.
For years, scientists persisted in their search for more Kobe-like plants. An organized field campaign spanned from 1992 to 1998, as researchers combed forest floors in hopes of uncovering further specimens. By 1999, the effort faced a harsh setback when the development of an industrial complex obliterated the habitat where the intriguing plant had first emerged, dashing prospects of locating more individuals in that locale.
By 2010, nearly two decades after the initial finding, the species was officially listed as extinct. The chapter seemed closed on the mysterious blossom, yet the narrative took an unexpected turn when new discovery and renewed interest breathed life back into the story.
(RE)discovered 30 years later
In a published article, Japanese botanist Kenji Suetsugu reported another sighting in the scientific journal Phytotaxa. A fresh specimen of the same fairy lantern was located in the city of Sanda, Japan, more than 30 kilometers from the site where the first flower was found. Thirty years had passed since the initial Thismia kobensisfue discovery, and the possibility of still having a living plant prompted the scientific community to describe the event as a rediscovery of the species.
The team that uncovered the new specimen also conducted a thorough analysis to trace its evolutionary history. The study supports the idea that this Asian fairy lantern is the northernmost known member of its genus. Its morphological comparison with Thismia americana, a closely related species discovered over a century ago on a prairie near Chicago and now regarded as extinct in its own right, highlights striking parallels across continents and time. It also underscores how some lineages can slip from view and later reappear in distant places.
Researchers note a curious distribution pattern for Thismia species, with sightings reported across Japan, North America, Australia, and New Zealand. Not all fairy lanterns appear to be closely related, suggesting the possibility of independent evolutionary events that produced similar forms. The emerging pattern invites ongoing exploration to map the full range of Thismia diversity and to understand the ecological signals that allow these elusive plants to surface in such scattered pockets.
Ultimately, the rediscovery sharpens questions about the persistence of rare myco-heterotrophic plants and the habitats they require. It also raises the specter of other unrecorded populations lingering in untouched corners of the world, waiting to be found by diligent observers who recognize the telltale signs of these enigmatic blossoms.