Last August, deep in the rain-soaked forests of Motuo county in the Xizang autonomous region, a plant unlike any seen before was found growing in a crack between mountain rocks.

With its delicate white petals and a structure never previously documented, the species — later confirmed as a new genus named Paramicrotoena X.X.Wu & Qiang Wang — marked a breakthrough in Himalayan biodiversity studies.

The discovery was made by Wu Xuexue, a PhD candidate at the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and one of a growing number of young researchers conducting frontline studies in Xizang.

The finding was announced last month.

Once known as the "forbidden land", Xizang has now become a hub of ecological research. With the support of national biodiversity protection strategies — including the establishment of 47 nature reserves and the founding of its first gene bank — the region offers fertile ground for scientific exploration.

Wu's journey into the Tibetan mountains began with the Flora of the Pan-Himalaya project, an international botanical initiative led by her mentor, Wang Qiang.

"Every plant in Xizang tells a story of survival," Wu said. "I wanted to understand how they adapt to such a harsh environment — and how we can protect them."

Her discovery of Paramicrotoena X.X.Wu & Qiang Wang was no mere stroke of luck. Wu and her team were trekking through dense undergrowth near Beibeng Mountain, where mist rolled in from the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon. At around 800 meters above sea level, she spotted several small labiates clinging stubbornly to a damp rock crevice.

To the untrained eye, the flowers seemed ordinary, almost unremarkable. But Wu's instinct told her otherwise.

That evening, she photographed the flower's key traits and sent the images to Wang, an expert on the mint family. "The moment I saw them, I knew this was extraordinary," Wang recalled.

Later analysis confirmed it as a brand-new genus and species, Paramicrotoena motuoensis X.X.Wu & Qiang Wang.

"By naming it after Motuo, we were also affirming China's sovereignty over its biological treasures," Wu explained.

Yet discoveries like this come at a steep cost. Motuo, located at the collision zone of the Indian and Eurasian plates, is notorious for its extreme conditions. Torrential rains trigger landslides without warning, narrow mountain roads can crumble overnight, and leeches swarm in such density as is common in tropical rain forests.

Wu remembers one incident when her team was forced to abandon their vehicle after a sudden mudslide. "The road had simply disappeared," she said. "We carried our equipment on foot for nearly 5 kilometers. The leeches were everywhere — inside boots, on sleeves, even hidden in plant samples. We joked that they were the true guardians of Tibetan forests."

Despite the exhaustion and constant danger, Wu credits her survival to careful preparation and strong community ties. Portable oxygen tanks, carbohydrate-rich meals, and slow altitude acclimatization became routine.

But it was the local villagers who provided the real lifeline. They shared knowledge of plant names passed down through generations, while drivers navigated over 500 kilometers of treacherous mountain roads each day to transport scientists and samples.

Government support was also key. Permits from Lhasa's forestry and grassland bureau allowed the team to operate legally, even in sensitive border areas.

The significance of Wu's discovery goes far beyond a single flower. Xizang's ecosystems — often described as the "roof of the world" — are home to more than 20,000 plant species, two-thirds of China's total. Many are unique to the region, found nowhere else on Earth, and some are revered in Tibetan medicine as "snowland spirits".

"Each new species we identify enriches the global biodiversity record," Wu said.

"More importantly, it reminds us of the urgency of protecting habitats threatened by climate change and human activity," she added.

She noted that the establishment of 47 nature reserves across Xizang and the preservation of more than 8,400 seed samples in the gene bank now provide a strong scientific foundation for that protection.

Wu and her peers represent a new generation of researchers dedicated to uncovering Xizang's natural wealth.

"Their work is more than academic — it strengthens China's role in global biodiversity conservation and inspires young people to shoulder responsibility for the nation's ecological future," Wang said.

duaoran@i21st.cn