New plant species discovered at San Diego Zoo

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A new plant species was recently discovered at the San Diego Zoo during a routine inventory.

The plant species was identified as Chamaedorea delicata, commonly known as the “dainty bamboo palm,” zoo officials stated.

It was found in Fern Canyon during an inventory of the zoo’s palm collection.

The dainty bamboo palm grows in clusters of bamboo-like stems, each one topped with small, feather-like leaves, giving the plant species its unique name.

When the plant blooms, the male flowers are bright yellow and then turn black as they dry. Meanwhile, female flowers start green and turn yellow as they mature, the zoo said.

Zoo visitors can find the unique species in the shaded areas of Fern Canyon.

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