Thismia americana
Encyclopedia
Thismia americana was a species of flowering plant that was described and published as living in wetlands surrounding Chicago's Lake Calumet
in the 1910s. The plant has not been seen since 1916, and the ground where it was observed has since been extensively altered by industrial development. The species is believed to be extinct. An extensive volunteer search, conducted in August 2011 on the far south side of Chicago, did not uncover any specimens of the vanished species.
. T. americana lacked chlorophyll
. Instead of converting solar energy, the flowering plant was a mycoheterotroph
, utilizing local fungi
of the southern Lake Michigan wetlands for its nourishment. The plant enjoyed a short, shy life cycle above ground; in July, its roots would sprout a tiny flowering head, which produced a white flower the size of a jewelry bead.
T. americana was published by University of Chicago
botanical PhD. candidate Norma Pfeiffer, who became the first and only scientist to observe and describe the species. By examining the rare plant's morphology
, Pfeiffer discovered that it was a Thismia
, a member of a plant genus that otherwise exists only in the Southern Hemisphere
. No one knows how this isolated population
survived in North America until historical times.
Lake Calumet
Lake Calumet is the largest body of water within the city of Chicago. Formerly a shallow, postglacial lake draining into Lake Michigan, it has been changed beyond recognition by industrial redevelopment and decay...
in the 1910s. The plant has not been seen since 1916, and the ground where it was observed has since been extensively altered by industrial development. The species is believed to be extinct. An extensive volunteer search, conducted in August 2011 on the far south side of Chicago, did not uncover any specimens of the vanished species.
Life cycle
Thismia americana drew interest from botanists because of its extremely specialized ecological nicheEcological niche
In ecology, a niche is a term describing the relational position of a species or population in its ecosystem to each other; e.g. a dolphin could potentially be in another ecological niche from one that travels in a different pod if the members of these pods utilize significantly different food...
. T. americana lacked chlorophyll
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in almost all plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. Its name is derived from the Greek words χλωρος, chloros and φύλλον, phyllon . Chlorophyll is an extremely important biomolecule, critical in photosynthesis, which allows plants to obtain energy from light...
. Instead of converting solar energy, the flowering plant was a mycoheterotroph
Myco-heterotrophy
Myco-heterotrophy is a symbiotic relationship between certain kinds of plants and fungi, in which the plant gets all or part of its food from parasitism upon fungi rather than from photosynthesis. A myco-heterotroph is the parasitic plant partner in this relationship...
, utilizing local fungi
Fungus
A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...
of the southern Lake Michigan wetlands for its nourishment. The plant enjoyed a short, shy life cycle above ground; in July, its roots would sprout a tiny flowering head, which produced a white flower the size of a jewelry bead.
T. americana was published by University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
botanical PhD. candidate Norma Pfeiffer, who became the first and only scientist to observe and describe the species. By examining the rare plant's morphology
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
, Pfeiffer discovered that it was a Thismia
Thismia
Thismia is a genus of myco-heterotrophic plant in family Thismiaceae.Species include:* Thismia americana * Thismia clavarioides K.R.Thiele* Thismia melanomitra* Thismia rodwayi F.Muell...
, a member of a plant genus that otherwise exists only in the Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
. No one knows how this isolated population
Genetic isolate
A genetic isolate is population of organisms that has little genetic mixing with other organisms within the same species. This may result in speciation, but this is not necessarily the case...
survived in North America until historical times.