A new species of plant has been identified on the Canary Islands, with volcanic terrain on Lanzarote one of its habitats.
The Phytokeys scientific journal has published a paper announcing the identification of a new parasitic plant species. Orobanche andryalae is a member of the broomrape genus, small plants with pretty flowers that are entirely parasitic, attaching themselves to the roots of other plants and robbing them of water and nutrients.
Andralyae has been identified on volcanic terrain in Haría, Lanzarote, as well as in Jandia on Fuerteventura and the Valle de Guerra and Teno regions of north Tenerife.
Researchers observed populations over a period of 23 years, growing seeds taken from Lanzarote in the Botanic Garden of Oxford University.