| Afrothismia winkleri | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Dioscoreales |
| Family: | Burmanniaceae |
| Genus: | Afrothismia |
| Species: | A. winkleri |
| Binomial name | |
| Afrothismia winkleri | |
| Synonyms [2] [3] | |
| |
Afrothismia winkleri is a species of plant in the Burmanniaceae family native to Cameroon. [2] [4] Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and it is threatened by habitat loss. [1] It was first described (as Thismia winkleri) by German botanist Adolf Engler in 1905. [2]
This plant is holomycotrophic, meaning that it doesn't perform photosynthesis, and instead it forms a symbiotic relationship with certain species of fungi, from which it draws all of it nutrients. Only the flowers and fruit of the plant appear above ground. [2] [4]
In 2023, botanist Martin Cheek placed the species in the new family Afrothismiaceae, however Plants of the World Online and other authorities still keep it in the family Burmanniaceae. [4] [2] [3] [5]
