Plant Once Thought Extinct Rediscovered After 60 Years In Unexpected Spot

A plant thought to be extinct in the wild has been rediscovered in Australia, ending almost six decades without a confirmed sighting. The small shrub, known as Ptilotus senarius, had not been recorded since 1967 and was believed to be lost-until new evidence emerged last summer on a remote property in northwest Queensland.

The rediscovery occurred in June 2025, when horticulturist and bird tagger Aaron Bean uploaded photos of an unusual plant to the iNaturalist platform while working on private land in the Gilbert River region of Queensland.

A specimen was collected from the site, which confirmed the identification, proving that the species had been living quietly for the past 60 years.

Researchers say this case illustrates how digital platforms like iNaturalist are transforming conservation work. Regular uploads to the app could yield significant results in biodiversity science.

"The rediscovery gives us the opportunity to conduct follow-up, targeted surveys, and long-term monitoring to better understand where and how these species are spreading across the landscape," said Thomas Messaglio, ecologist at the University of New South Wales and author of the research paper.

They also added that iNaturalist has become an invaluable tool for recording biodiversity on private property, which is often difficult for professional researchers to access.

Scientists reported that iNaturalist's true impact lies in its ability to instantly publish observations from hard-to-reach areas and connect them with experts worldwide. Users can instantly post photographs, allowing experts to identify rare or unusual species.

By July 2025, the platform contained over 104 million verifiable photographic vouchers of plants from around the world, around the same time as the rediscovery of Ptilotus cenaris.

The ability to quickly capture and share observations is especially important for species that live in very small populations or in areas rarely visited by botanists. Had Bean not uploaded this in June 2025, the plant might have remained unknown indefinitely.

While scientists have yet to assess its population size and long-term status, the rediscovery shows that some species once thought extinct may quietly survive in parts of the landscape that receive little scientific attention.