The botany team at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is at it again.

In 2022, Selby Gardens botanist Dr. John L. Clark was also part of a team that discovered a new plant species called Amalophyllon miraculum—or "miracle plant"—in an area of Ecuador that botanists had almost entirely written off because of deforestation. 

Now, Clark and a team of researchers have discovered four more new plant species after extensive field research in the rainforests of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

Part of the family Gesneriaceae, the new species grow as climbing air plants, with slanted, tubular flowers that bloom from clustered stems near the forest floor—a rare kind of growth habit not only for this type of plant, but also in rainforests in general.

Clark says the discovery of all four species is part of ongoing scientific efforts to document and better understand biodiversity in tropical regions, and contributes to Selby Gardens’ mission of conserving and researching plant biodiversity. While most people know the gardens for its collection of orchids and beautiful bayfront location—it was named one of TIME's "World's Greatest Places" last summer—Clark is quick to point out that the organization also stands out for its emphasis on research and conservation.

“We have a group of researchers who are actively looking at evolutionary relationships and documenting plants in very unique areas,” he told us last August. “Pretty soon, we’ll have our herbarium online, and people can look at the specimens. It’s going to be an amazing, important tool.”

The discovery of these four new species "not only deepens our understanding of plant diversity in the Andes, but also honors individuals whose dedication to protecting our natural world inspires us all,” he says.

The new plants are named in honor of leaders in science, conservation and education to advancing conservation, science—including Drymonia rominieckiae, in honor of Jennifer Rominiecki, Selby Gardens' president and CEO.

"To have a newly discovered species bear my name is a profound honor," Rominiecki said in a statement. "It is a testament not only to the beauty and resilience of the natural world, but to the tireless dedication of those who work to study and protect it. I share this recognition with every member of our [Selby Gardens] family who strives daily to ensure that nature's wonders endure for generations to come."