New plant species discovered in Big Bend National Park

Meet the ‘Wooly Devil,’ the First New Plant Genus Discovered in a National Park Since 1976
A volunteer spotted the tiny, fuzzy plant with maroon florets while exploring the remote northern corner of Big Bend National Park in Texas
A new plant species, the 'wooly devil,' is discovered in Big Bend
The plant, formally known as Ovicula biradiata, is especially notable for being the simultaneous discovery of a new species and genus. It was found with help from the community science app iNaturalist.
See the "Wooly Devil," new plant species discovered at a U.S. national park for the first time in nearly 50 years
The Wooly Devil, or Ovicula biradiata​, was first spotted by botany volunteer Deb Manley and a park ranger in Big Bend National Park in Texas in March 2024.
A 'wooly' new plant species has popped up at Big Bend National Park
A new plant species, Ovicula biradiata, also known as "Wooly Devil," was discovered in Big Bend National Park, marking a new genus in the Daisy family.
New species of fuzzy sunflower found by national park volunteer
The team sequenced the plant’s DNA and compared it with other specimens in the California Academy of Sciences’ herbarium. The sequencing revealed that this small and fuzzy plant is both a new species within the sunflower group and distinct enough to be a completely new genus.
Meet the 'Wooly Devil,' the new plant species discovered at Big Bend National Park
A new fuzzy plant species called the "Wooly Devil" has been discovered amongst the arid landscapes of Big Bend National Park in Texas.
New 'wooly' plant species discovered at Texas' Big Bend National Park
The small plant, officially named “Ovicula biradiata" and more affectionately called “wooly devil,” was first spotted in March 2024, sprinkled among
New 'wooly devil' fuzzy plant species discovered in Texas’ Big Bend National Park
Meet "wooly devil," a fuzzy new plant species discovered at a national park in Texas is a brand new species. Botanists are excited to watch it grow this spring.
National Park Service Announces New Plant Species "Wooly Devil" Discovered at Big Bend National Park in Texas
Park botanist C. Whiting takes a closer look at wooly devil. Photo credit: NPS / D. Manley
New plant discovered at Big Bend National Park
Genetic analysis revealed that not only is it a new species, but it’s also a new genus. It’s in the same family as daisies. Researchers named it Ovicula biradiata. Ovicula is Latin for tiny sheep, for the fuzz that resembles wool covering it.
What is 'Wooly Devil'? The new plant species discovered at a U.S. national park for the first time in nearly 50 years
A new plant species, the Wooly Devil (Ovicula biradiata), has been discovered in Texas's Big Bend National Park. This tiny, ...
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Meet the 'wooly devil,' a new plant species discovered in Big Bend National Park
Say hello to the wooly devil. The type of sunflower is a new plant species, identified in Big Bend National Park in Texas. Ovicula biradiata, as it is formally known, is especially notable ...