A plant species that was presumed extinct in the wild has been rediscovered in northern Queensland.
The Ptilotus senarius (Amaranthaceae) plant is a small, slender shrub that was last recorded in 1967.
However, in June 2025, horticulturalist Aaron Bean uploaded photos of an “unusual plant” to the iNaturalist platform while working on private property in the Gilbert River region of Queensland.
The plant was later identified as the Ptilotus senarius.
Thomas Mesaglio from the UNSW School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences said iNaturalist was increasingly being used by scientists and conservationists to rediscover lost species and monitor the ranges of known species.
“iNaturalist has especially become an invaluable tool for recording biodiversity on private property, which can often be difficult to access by professional researchers,” Mr Mesaglio said.
