Scientists have described a new and notable plant species called Columnea rubromarginata, distinguished by a dark red band along the edges of its leaves. This new species is primarily found in the province of Esmeraldas in Ecuador and in Colombia's Chocó and Valle del Cauca departments. Published in the scientific journal PhytoKeys, the study was conducted by John L. Clark, Sofía Ballesteros, and Laura Clavijo, who used specimens gathered during recent botanical expeditions and those stored in herbariums for their research.

The researchers highlighted that Columnea rubromarginata is an epiphytic subshrub, meaning it grows on other plants or surfaces, a characteristic that adds to its ecological niche and importance. The discovery was made during expeditions that sought to catalog the diversity of plant life in these regions, areas that are known for their rich biodiversity but also for their susceptibility to environmental threats. The new species has been recorded more frequently in Colombia than in Ecuador, where the Columnea genus represents a smaller variety of species with 75 compared to 106 in Colombia.

One of the critical concerns raised by the researchers is the threat posed by illegal mining activities in these regions, which jeopardizes not only this newly discovered species but also the overall biodiversity. The report calls attention to the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect such endemic species and their habitats from further degradation caused by mining and other anthropogenic activities.