New discoveries to science from Kew
Over the last 250 years, Kew has made many discoveries about the fascinating worlds of plants and fungi. This work continues today and includes numerous new species discovered and described each year by our world-class scientists and their collaborators.
Giant rainforest trees, rare and beautiful orchids, spectacular palms, minute fungi, wild coffees and an ancient aquatic plant are among more than 250 new plant and fungi species discovered and described in 2009, Kew’s 250th anniversary year.
It is not widely known that 2,000 new plant species are discovered worldwide each year and Kew’s botanists, in collaboration with their partners worldwide, make a very significant contribution to this total.
Explore the map to find out more about Kew's recent species discoveries
Featured new discoveries
New species discoveriesFind out more about Kew's new discoveries
- A bumper year for Kew in new species discovery
- Canopy giants from the rainforests of Cameroon
- Tiny fungi and miniature flowering plants
- New palms from Madagascar
- New coffee species that could help safeguard your daily cup
- An ancient aquatic plant on the rocks
- Discovered in a glasshouse!
- New knee-high eucalyptus discovered in Australia
- Fourteen species of the blue dye genus Indigofera described as new to science
- New orchids discovered on Borneo's highest mountain
- A unique endangered yam from South Africa
- Twenty new species described from Brazil
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