A number of organizations, including Sichuan University and the Guangxi Institute of Botany, recently jointly announced a new critically endangered cypress species – the Guangxi golden cypress, which grows in the unique karst landscapes of Guangxi.

The new species was first observed in 2013 in the Guangxi Mulun National Nature Reserve and was initially identified as the Vietnamese golden cypress due to its similarity.

Further analysis revealed distinct differences. Unlike the tetraploid Vietnamese golden cypress found in northern Vietnam and southern Guangxi, the Guangxi golden cypress is diploid and genetically distinct. Comparative research based on geographic distribution, morphology, chromosome ploidy, and ecological niche confirmed it as a separate species.

Professor Mao Kangshan from Sichuan University noted that while the two species share visual similarities, the Guangxi golden cypress has more delicate leaves, slender branches, and smaller flowers, cones, and seeds. Fewer than 50 wild plants exist, confined to dry mid-subtropical karst forested mountain tops. Due to its sensitive habitat, climate change threatens its survival further.

This discovery highlights the biodiversity nurtured by Guangxi’s karst ecosystems and provides insight into the mechanisms behind such unique ecosystems.