New rare plant species discovered on Limpopo escarpment near Hoedspruit
Simon Attwood, K2C's Upper Blyde restoration manager, was searching for a known species when his team stumbled on something science had never recorded.
HOEDSPRUIT – A previously unknown plant species has been formally described on the Limpopo-Mpumalanga-Eswatini Escarpment near Hoedspruit, adding a new entry to the Kruger to Canyons (K2C) Biosphere Region’s plant list.
The species, Thorncroftia attwoodii, was identified after years of fieldwork by the K2C Biosphere team, local hiking guides, and researchers.
The search that turned up something unexpected
The discovery followed the rediscovery of Thorncroftia media by K2C Upper Blyde restoration manager Simon Attwood, who then continued exploring the escarpment with colleagues in search of additional populations.
Instead, the team encountered a plant that did not match any known species, later confirmed through scientific study to be new to science.
A name that honours a local expert
The plant was named in honour of Attwood for his botanical expertise, contributions to citizen science, and commitment to documenting underexplored areas.
Clinging to cliffs on the escarpment
It is currently known from only three sites, growing on steep quartzite cliffs at elevations between 1260 and 1430 metres, with an estimated 6700 individuals recorded.
A rare find, and a fragile one
Due to limited information on its full range, T. attwoodii has been provisionally listed as data deficient on the IUCN Red List and classified as rare on South Africa’s SANBI Red List.
K2C said the discovery highlights the importance of ongoing field research, noting that formally identifying species is essential for effective conservation and environmental management.
