Green shoots of discovery at Botanics

SCIENTISTS at the Royal Botanic Garden have identified an average of one new species of plant every week for the last five years, it has emerged.

The Botanics is a world leader in plant research, as highlighted during Scottish Biodiversity Week recently with the discovery of "Viking Prongwort".

Researchers are trialling a molecular tool which could be used to create a "DNA barcode" for plants. The DNA sequences are revealing new information for defining known species – and also discovering new ones.

The Viking Prongwort is an example of a species made known following field work by RBGE staff David Long and David Bell in Norway and Shetland.