The wooly devil (Ovicula biradiata) is a small desert plant that park staff found in a remote northern section of Big Bend National Park in West Texas. The National Park Service announced it as a new species on February 24, 2025, after scientists described it as a new genus and species in the sunflower family, Asteraceae. Public sources from 2025 describe it as known from a few small areas, and they do not establish how common it is, how far it extends, or whether it has any formal conservation status.
What the wooly devil is
The wooly devil belongs to Asteraceae, the daisy and sunflower family. Researchers placed it in a genus of its own, which is why the discovery is significant beyond a single new name. The common name comes from the plant’s appearance: the Texas Senate resolution that recognized the discovery describes fuzzy leaves and hornlike florets, and gives the plant a size of half an inch to three inches across.
Genetic analysis was used to work out how the plant relates to other members of Asteraceae. The park states that the scientific description, including that analysis, had recently been published in the peer-reviewed journal PhytoKeys when the species was announced.
How it was found and identified
The first encounter was made by Deb Manley, a volunteer in the park’s botany program, and Cathy Hoyt, a supervisory interpretive ranger. They noticed tiny plants that did not match anything they knew, growing among rocks in a remote northern part of the park. The Texas Senate resolution reports that the team then checked species databases, herbarium records, taxonomy publications, and online identification resources, and consulted area experts before the classification work moved to researchers.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →#1 Best Overall
The timeline below sets out the key dates as reported by the park, the Texas Legislature, the California Academy of Sciences, and the Associated Press.
| Date | What happened | Reported by |
|---|---|---|
| March 2024 | Volunteer Deb Manley and ranger Cathy Hoyt first notice the unfamiliar plants in a remote northern area of the park | National Park Service; Texas Senate resolution |
| Before February 2025 | Scientific description, including genetic analysis of relationships within Asteraceae, appears in PhytoKeys | National Park Service |
| February 24, 2025 | National Park Service announces the species as new | National Park Service news release |
| March 31, 2025 | Associated Press reports that researchers are still studying the plant and hope rain will bring back flowering | Associated Press |
Why scientists describe it as significant
The California Academy of Sciences, which took part in the work, describes the find as a new sunflower-family species and as the first new plant genus described in a U.S. national park since 1976, when Dedeckera eurekensis was identified in Death Valley National Park. That comparison is the Academy’s own, and it concerns national parks specifically rather than all plant discoveries in the United States.
Where it grows, as far as is known
The Texas Senate resolution places known occurrences in three small sections of the park’s portion of the Chihuahuan Desert. That describes the areas where the plant has been reported, not a verified boundary of its full range. The park has released only a broad description of the location, and the sources reviewed do not give more precise coordinates.
Is the wooly devil endangered?
The sources do not establish a formal rarity rank, a population estimate, or a legal listing as threatened or endangered under state or federal law. The word “rare” in the common description of this plant reflects how few reported locations exist, not an official designation.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minutePC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department describes its Texas Natural Diversity Database as a resource for rare-species information used in conservation planning. That database overview does not confirm a record for this species, so it should not be read as evidence that the wooly devil is tracked there.
What is still unknown
Park Superintendent Anjna O’Connor has said that, now that the species has been named, “there is a tremendous amount we have yet to learn about it.” She listed several open questions:
Rank #4
- Pocket Naturalist Trees by James Kavanagh - 9781583551783
- Whether there are additional populations in the park beyond the known areas.
- The plant’s life-cycle details, including how long it takes to reach flowering.
- Which pollinators, if any, visit its flowers.
- Whether the current drought is preventing researchers from observing the plant.
In the Associated Press report from March 31, 2025, Big Bend botanist Carolyn Whiting said, “There’s a lot to learn with this species so they’re really just getting started.” The report described researchers hoping for rain so the plant would flower and allow further observation. Those comments reflect conditions in spring 2025. The sources reviewed do not describe the plant’s status since then, so readers should check with Big Bend National Park for any later updates on its flowering, distribution or monitoring.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What this means for readers
The wooly devil is a useful reminder that a well-studied landscape can still hold plants that have not been formally named. For anyone following the story, the most reliable figures are the dates, the family and genus placement, the reported size, and the three known areas. Beyond those, the answers are still being worked out by the people who study the plant in the field.
Best Value
- Complete Gardening Journal Planner and Log Book: This gardening journal planner and log book helps organize your growing season with yearly planning pages, 6 monthly sets, 8 weekly logs, plant profiles, harvest records, and garden review pages
- Durable Spiral Bound Garden Journal: Designed with black twin-wire spiral binding, this garden journal spiral bound notebook lays flat for easy writing while planning, tracking plants, recording harvests, and reviewing garden progress
- Protective PVC Cover & Quality Paper; Features a transparent waterproof PVC protective cover and 100gsm high-quality recyclable paper, made for smooth writing, everyday garden planning, and long-term record keeping
- Plant, Seed, Soil, Pest & Budget Tracking: More than a garden log book, this garden planner journal and log book includes plant profiles, seed records, soil amendment logs, watering schedules, pest notes, budget pages, and expense tracking
- Beautiful Gift for Gardeners: A watercolor garden journal and planner with plant tags, pollinator planner, seed packet photo notes, seasonal review pages, and favorite garden memories, ideal for gardeners and plant lovers
Readers who want to follow developments should watch the park’s own news releases and the scientific literature in PhytoKeys, rather than secondary summaries that may repeat the early reports without their qualifications.
Sources cited in this article are the National Park Service news release of February 24, 2025 on Big Bend National Park’s website, the Texas Senate resolution (89th Legislature, SR 402), the California Academy of Sciences announcement on the discovery, the Associated Press report of March 31, 2025, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department overview of the Texas Natural Diversity Database.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
