‘Devil flower’ found in Thailand, with fewer than 50 believed to exist

Scientists have discovered a rare Thai plant that appears to have come from another world. Thismia daemona has no leaves or green structures, and its eerie, horn-like shape has led researchers to call it the “devil flower.”

The species was found in Thong Pha Phum National Park, where it obtains most of its nourishment from fungi beneath the soil. Unlike ordinary flowering plants, it does not rely on visible green foliage to produce food.

Researchers believe fewer than 50 specimens of this unusual plant exist. Its discovery adds to scientific knowledge of a rare group of fungi-fed flowering plants.