‘Nature surprises us’: scientists in Brazil rediscover tree thought extinct for nearly 200 years
By Lauren Crosby Medlicott
A species of small holly tree last seen nearly two centuries ago has been rediscovered in Brazil and scientists say it is an “incredible find”.
The tree, 'Ilex sapiiformis' also known as the Pernambuco holly, was feared to have been extinct. But it was recently found in the urban city of Igarassu, in Pernambuco state, by an expedition that spent six days exploring the region in the hope of locating the species.