A flower once considered extinct is back. Not seen since 1985, the Gasteranthus extinctus – named after its own extinction – was recently found in several spots in the western foothills of the Ecuadorian Andes. Within just 10 minutes of exploring two key sites in the Centinela Region on the western side of Ecuador, a group of 10 researchers identified the plant, decorated with bright, orange flowers. Previous studies reported that Centinela’s forests had been completely destroyed by 1990, with many plant species becoming extinct. But for Xavier Cornejo, a researcher from the Herbarium at the University of Guayaquil in Ecuador, his team’s findings indicate the region is still alive. "The expedition to Centinela was a historic event, not only in terms of the rediscovery of a species that was believed to be extinct, but it has also given Ecuador and the world the opportunity to make known that the Centinela forests are still alive and that they contain a unique and fascinating flora,” Cornejo told USA TODAY. The team recognized the Gasteranthus extinctus by unique characteristics, including an urn shaped flower and fairly small, ellipse-shaped leaves. 📸: Courtesy Riley Fortier.