The Atlas Obscura Podcast National Parks Week: Take a Walk, Find A New Species
Jun 2, 2025
Join two botany enthusiasts on a delightful adventure through Big Bend National Park as they uncover the park's incredible plant diversity. Experience the thrill of discovery when they stumble upon a rare plant with ribbon-like flowers, later identified as the Wooly Devil. Hear about the collaborative efforts of experts to classify this new species and celebrate the wonders of nature. Get inspired to explore your own surroundings and engage with the iNaturalist app to find hidden botanical treasures.
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Discovery Walk at Big Bend
- Kathy Hoyt and Deb Manley regularly walk together in Big Bend National Park looking for interesting plants.
- During one walk in March 2024, they discovered a tiny fuzzy plant with unusual ribbon-like flowers neither had seen before.
Persistent Search for Identification
- Deb persisted in identifying the fuzzy plant by consulting a large regional plant guidebook and botanists.
- When no one could identify it, she reached out to the author of the guidebook, Dr. A. Michael Powell.
Rare New Genus Discovery
- The plant was confirmed as a new, previously undocumented species and also a new genus.
- Finding a new genus is rare in the U.S., especially in a heavily visited national park like Big Bend.