New Plant Species Discovered in Pickens County

A new plant, named Shealy’s Saxifrage, has been discovered in Pickens County by a group of local botanists. Patrick McMillan, Larry Cushman and Vincent Richards named the species after long time professor Dr. Harry Shealy at University of South Carolina.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources said that the little white flower with yellow and red highlights can be found along the edges of slopping granite outcroppings, moss mats or in crevices, and blooms between February and May. And, they added, it is unique to South Carolina, being found now where else on earth.

Nature lovers are encouraged to not disturb the rare plants, but rather to observe and appreciate them from a distance.