Discovered new species of Cuc family that are able to hold water

According to a South American reporter, on June 5, scientists announced the discovery of a new plant species of the genus Espeletia of the Asteraceae, capable of sustaining the flow of rivers and streams at a mountain in Antioquia's Colombia.

The tree grows up to 1.2m high, has succulent leaves, is suitable for water retention and coping with temperature changes in the equatorial alpine ecosystem.

The new species of the genus Espeletia of Cuc family is able to maintain the flow of rivers and streams. (Source: AFP)

The biologist Fernando Alzate at Antioquia University, who led the research, said the scientists discovered between 300 and 400 individuals of new species living on an area spanning about half a hectare.

According to the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Biological Research, the species of the genus Espeletia grows only over 3,000 meters in areas in the Andes in Colombia , Venezuela, Peru and Ecuador. In particular, Colombia, the second biodiversity country in the world, concentrates nearly 60% of these ecosystems.

National University of Colombia studies show that the Chrysanthemum species holds water from the clouds and the fog that surrounds them and plays an important role in maintaining the flow of rivers and streams as well as regulating regulate the circulation of fluids in moist ecosystems.