It’s the first discovery of a new plant genus in a national park in decades, and a landmark find. But the identification of Ovicula biradiata, the “wooly devil,” began with a simple walk in the park. The discovery is a reminder that while known for its vast landscapes, Big Bend National Park is also a place of hidden surprises.
It’s the size of a quarter, with fuzzy leaves. Such “wooliness” is a common adaptation among desert plants, helping to retain moisture and as protection from the sun. The tiny plant features a pair of reddish, ray-shaped flowers, which have the look of devilish horns.
Deb Manley is a volunteer at Big Bend National Park.
“You really do have to get down on your hands and knees to take a look at it and to really appreciate it,” Manley said. “There are so many small, fuzzy things out in the desert that, had it not been blooming, we probably would've just kind of looked at it and kept walking.”
Manley and Supervisory Park Ranger Cathy Hoyt spotted the plant on a desert hike last March. They knew it was a member of the sunflower family, and they shared photos with veteran Big Bend botanist Michael Powell.
This plant, Powell concluded, was not just a previously unknown species, but an entirely new genus. DNA analysis confirmed Powell’s assessment, and the discovery was published last month.
Big Bend has long been known for its biodiversity, and botanists have probed this land for a century. But Hoyt said it took just the right conditions to spot the wooly devil. The key condition, she said, was drought, which meant few plants were growing.
“The reason we noticed it is because there was absolutely nothing else growing out there or in bloom,” Hoyt said. “A lot of these desert plants can remain as in the seed bank for years and years and years. It may not even sprout and grow except for maybe once every 10 years or so. I mean, we don't know that, but I think there are many reasons that this plant could have been overlooked for a long time.”
Manley had the honor of selecting the plant’s scientific name. Ovicula – or “tiny sheep” – references the plant’s wooliness, while biradiata invokes its two radiating petals.
Though new to science, it’s not yet clear how rare the wooly devil is. The team has identified four populations, and where it’s found, the plant grows in abundance. And a photo taken near Sanderson suggests it may be found there, dozens of miles from the park.
Big Bend park botanist Carolyn Whiting said that, for now, she’s treating the wooly devil as a rare plant. She and her colleagues hoped to study the plant’s range this year. But ongoing drought means the wooly devil is nowhere to be seen.
“I was very much hoping that we'd be able to study it this spring and answer that question,” Whiting said. “So I’m pretty disappointed that we haven't had the conditions to spend a lot of effort looking for it, but maybe next year.”
Much about the plant remains unknown – including its pollinators. Potential candidates include flies and tiny native “fairy” bees. As a distinct genus, the wooly devil must have diverged from its closest relative long ago, but its evolutionary story is a mystery.
The rare can awaken greed – and would-be poachers have already targeted the wooly devil. Park officials are keeping the plant’s location vague.
Our predecessors set Big Bend aside as a national park because they knew it was a special place. It’s a testament to their foresight that it preserves lifeforms they didn’t know existed.
This story was made possible by generous donations from supporters like you. Please consider showing your support with a contribution today.
