Pleione is spotted in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province. [Photo/wifizs.cn]

On May 28, Zhoushan, Zhejiang province resident Li Bin, along with a group of friends, discovered a new species of Pleione on a cliff in the city.

Li, who is dedicated to field surveys of wild medicinal plants, has already discovered many other rare and special wild species, stated that he and his friends hope to name the new species "Zhoushan Pleione". 

After reviewing the relevant photos, Gao Haojie, deputy director of the research institute at the Zhoushan Forestry Science Institute, noted that the new species of Pleione discovered by Li is likely a newly recorded species found in China for the first time.

The genus Pleione, belonging to the Orchidaceae family, has over 2,200 species worldwide. Approximately 150 species are distributed in China. In the newly compiled Flora of Zhejiang, there are eight species of Pleione recorded within the province.

Li explained that the recently discovered Pleione has extremely tiny flowers, only the size of half a grain of rice, indicating that it clearly does not belong to any of the eight species already recorded in the Flora of Zhejiang.

The "Zhoushan Pleione" has thick, leathery leaves that are as translucent as jade, with a clearly visible midrib, resembling a meticulously crafted natural work of art. Its uniqueness lies not only in its beautiful appearance but also in its tenacious vitality and adaptability to the environment, according to Li.