A team of researchers from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) has discovered a new wild species of the rattlesnake, zebra and peacock plants, which has been named Calathea galdamesiana.
"Carmen has been the direct or indirect teacher for many botanists in Panama," Rodolfo Flores, who participated in the research, said in a press release. "She's extremely dedicated and is an example for us to follow."
A member of the Marantaceae family, the plant stands out thanks to its large, oval leaves, a feature that sets it apart from the many other species of Calathea. Furthermore, the species possesses flower-bearing structures that bear a shoot that originates from an underground stem, something not often seen in plant characteristics.
The plant was discovered in Panama's Santa Fe National Park, where Flores was engaging in a biological diversity inventory. The discovery was entered into the STRI's Nagoya Protocol project, and the species will be inputted into the Marantaceae family and be made available to botany students and researchers in Latin America.
In addition to ensuring that the plant is added to Smithsonian's herbarium, Flores added the plant to his collection of tattoos.
"People are always surprised when they hear the stories behind my tattoos," he said. "One of my tattoos combines my favorite childhood stories about the existence of forest sprites (duendes) as well as one of my favorite cultural movements--hip-hop or breakdancing--which I've been involved in for the past 15 years, and my profession as a botanist."
The findings were published by the Botanical Research Institute of Texas.
