Scientists aptly call the newly discovered plant in the Philippines Rinorea niccolifera, which is descriptive of its nickel-absorbing abilities.
Photo: University of the Philippines

Scientists from the University of the Philippines, Los Ba????(R)????os, have discovered and named a new plant species, Rinorea niccolifera. The plant is able to absorb 18,000 ppm of nickel in its leaves and still survive, according to Prof. Edwino Fernando, lead author of the report.1 Such a level of nickel absorption is a hundred to a thousand times higher than most plants.

This phenomenon, nickel hyperaccumulation, is rare. Only about 0.5–1 percent (450) of the world's 300,000 vascular plant species exhibit this ability in nickel-rich soils. The new species was discovered on the western part of Luzon Island in the Philippines, an area known for soils rich in heavy metals.

Hyperaccumulation plants could be a "green assist" in helping remediate site soils contaminated with heavy metals. Such plants could also be used for "green mining": growing and harvesting hyperaccumulation plants to recover commercially valuable metals from the plant shoots.

1. Fernando ES, Quimado MO, Doronila AI (2014) Rinorea niccolifera (Violaceae), a new, nickel-hyperaccumulating species from Luzon Island, Philippines. PhytoKeys 37: 1–13. doi: