Local authorities reported on Tuesday that a new species of pepper plant has been discovered in Metog county of Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Local authorities reported on Tuesday that a new species of pepper plant had been discovered in Metog county of Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region.

China is a significant distribution area for Piper genus plants, with approximately 65 recorded species mainly located in the southwestern and southern China regions.

While surveying spice and beverage plants from 2021 to 2023, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences came across an unknown species of the Piper genus in Metog.

Local authorities reported on Tuesday that a new species of pepper plant has been discovered in Metog county of Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

After conducting morphological studies, the team confirmed that it is a new species and named it Piper motuoense.

The discovery of the new species, published in the international botanical journal PhytoKeys, enriches China's Piper genus plant resources and further highlights Metog's exceptionally high species diversity.