New Tree Species Discovered in Colombian Reserve

Researchers in Colombia identified a new tree species, Sarcaulus paujilensis, within the ProAves El Paujil Reserve in the Serranía de las Quinchas, Puerto Boyacá. The discovery, officially published in the journal PhytoKeys, adds to knowledge of neotropical flora and highlights the importance of protected areas for both research and conservation.

This tree belongs to the Sapotaceae family and uniquely possesses bisexual flowers, differing from most other Sarcaulus species which have unisexual flowers. The finding brings the total recognized species within the Sarcaulus genus in the Neotropics to six.

ProAves Foundation director Paloma Carrillo emphasized that each protected forest offers opportunities for scientific discovery and the revelation of Colombia’s natural wealth. The El Paujil Reserve protects a critical remnant of tropical wet forest and is home to endangered species like the blue-billed curassow and the Magdalena spider monkey, making continued conservation efforts vital.