A woman collecting mushrooms discovered a new plant species that was confirmed to be poisonous and critically endangered by scientists who have now named it after her.
The discovery was made near Derekoy in Karaman, central Turkey, and announced on 22nd October.
The lily-shaped plant belongs to the Araceae family and is part of the Biarum genus, a small genus of flowering plants that are native to the Middle East and southern Europe.
It was named Biarum gulsenianum in honour of Gulsen Kavas, the organic farming graduate who first spotted it while foraging for mushrooms in 2023.
The species was identified by a research team led by Professor Dr Hasan Yildirim from Ege University’s Botanic Garden and Herbarium Centre.
Professor Yildirim said: “This discovery once again shows that Anatolia still possesses unexplored biological riches.”
He explained that the plant shows clear morphological differences from its closest relative, the Biarum rifatii, which grows around Antalya.
He added: “The inner surface of the spatha, the structure of the floral tube and the shape of the stigma display distinct differences, confirming it as a new species.”
The discovery was published in the respected scientific journal Annales Botanici Fennici.
Professor Yildirim said: “The plant exists in a very small population of fewer than 100 individuals and, according to IUCN (2025) criteria, is classified as Critically Endangered.
“The plant is poisonous, so animals do not eat it, but the area where it grows faces threats such as soil degradation and habitat loss.”
He added: “Local authorities, conservation organisations and scientists must urgently work together to prepare protection plans and secure the plant’s habitat.”
With this addition, the number of known Biarum species in Turkey has risen to 12, of which four are endemic.
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