Leeds professor calls for action to 'end biodiversity loss' as rare plant given his name

A University of Leeds professor has called for more action to “end biodiversity loss” after a critically endangered plant first found in the 1990s recently became the eighth species to be named after him.

When it was discovered, the plant was found in the most humid parts of the rainforest, near a large waterfall in the Kihansi Gorge of the Udzungwa Mountains.

Since the year 2000, however, a new Hydroelectric Power Station buit near the Kihansi Gorge waterfall prevented it from flowing in the dry season, substantially changing the gorge’s microclimate.

Professor Lovett said: “There can sometimes be a conflict between the need for development and biodiversity conservation, especially for countries like Tanzania that have large numbers of rare species found nowhere else in the world. Extinction and endangerment are warning bells. Campaigners, researchers and policymakers need to urgently work together to ensure both priorities are recognised and balanced in future developments. Action is needed now to end biodiversity loss and repair our world.”

On firstfinding the plant, Professor Lovett brought it back to England and handed it to Dr Martin Cheek — an expert on tropical African plants at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

After nearly three decades of researching other species of Afrothismia across Africa, Dr Cheek recently confirmed ‘Afrothismia lovettii’ as new to science. It now becomes the eighth plant species named after Professor Lovett.