A new species of tree discovered by scientists at Trinity College Dublin has immediately been placed on the endangered list.
The finding was made in the Cusuco National Park Honduras during an ecological survey by the university's botanists.
The 10m tall tree, called Sommera cusucoana, is part of the coffee family, and has cream-coloured flowers and bears fruit which look similar to cherries.
Because it has never been found anywhere else, and is growing less than 0.5km from clear-fell logging sites, the new species is considered endangered.
The finding was somewhat accidental, according to Dr Daniel Kelly from TCD, who said he was demonstrating to the group how to collect and record a specimen of an unknown plant when he noticed the tree close to his tent.
It was two months later, when an expert in Missouri saw the photos and data, and passed them to another expert in Hawaii, that the finding was confirmed.
Scientists are concerned that the tree, along with many others which are found only in the area, are at risk of extinction due to felling.
They have warned that the species could be lost before researchers even have a chance to establish anything about it, including the potential useful compounds which may be contained in it.
Details of the finding have been published in the journal PhytoKeys.
