A previously unknown gigantic species has been discovered by researchers working in the remote Udzungwa Mountains of East Africa.
Named Tessmannia princeps, the newly described species—a towering rainforest tree with unusually high leaflet counts—had been hidden in plain sight, although unrecognized as an entirely new species until now.
Researchers involved in the discovery, which was described in the current issue of the journal Phytotaxa, say the massive tree represents a discovery of considerable value, given its restricted habitat and the limited number of mature individuals that are known to exist.
A Discovery of Massive Proportions
Spanning an area of more than 16,130 kilometers, south-central Tanzania’s Udzungwa Mountains exist primarily in the country’s Iringa Region, south of the capital at Dodoma. The mountain range are a portion of the Eastern Arc Mountains, where a diverse range of both plant and animal life are known to exist.
The discovery of T. princeps adds to the genus Tessmannia, recognized as a part of the Fabaceae family, and adds to the rich ecology of the Eastern Arc Mountains.
“During field surveys in the Udzungwa Mountains, a population of Tessmannia with affinities to T. densiflora was observed and collected,” the authors of the new study write. “This distinctive taxon, which cannot be keyed to any known species, is here described as new to science.”
While T. princeps does share a few traits with other previously recognized East African species, it is clearly distinguishable from its morphological characteristics, as well as its ecological conditions and geographic range.
Reaching New Heights in East Africa
Among the most significant characteristics associated with Tanzania’s newly discovered forest giant is its incredible height, as well as its massive, buttressed trunk. The tree also possesses a large number of leaflets, comprising up to 48 per leaf.
Such traits, along with its montane habitat and the unique lack of thorns associated with some of T princeps’ cousins, all make it a unique addition to the known flora of the region.
Most Tessmannia trees are recognized for their pinnate leaves, as well as their spotted surfaces. Although a remarkable amount of diversity in leaflets among Tessmannia trees exist, the newly discovered variety possess the highest count ever observed, marking one of the most significant features that helped it become recognized as a distinct species.
Since the initial discovery of the genus Tessmannia more than a century ago, several additional species have been identified, with the total now reaching 14 following the discovery of T. princeps.
Researchers note, however, that while a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the genus has not yet been published, the addition of the new species is offering fresh insights into the diversity of the genus, and its distribution throughout East Africa.
Potentially Critically Endangered
Given the recency of the discovery, researchers say T. princeps is currently only provisionally assessed as Vulnerable under IUCN Red List criteria, as the subpopulations of the new species all exist within the Udzungwa Corridor, a forest restoration project that currently offers protection for the ecodiversity of the region.
“If the project were to cease, T. princeps would be immediately threatened with habitat loss and would then need to be assessed as Critically Endangered,” the authors of the recent study say, adding that further study of the species and conservation measures should be emphasized.
The recent study, “Tessmannia princeps (Fabaceae), a new rainforest tree from the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania,” appeared in Phytotaxa and can be read online.
Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. He can be reached by email at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow his work at micahhanks.com and on X: @MicahHanks.