Deb Manley was exploring a remote area of Big Bend National Park when she spotted something unusual on the ground. Tiny, fuzzy, flowering plants were sprouting up from between the desert rocks in the Texas park’s northern region.

The Wooly Devil is a belly plant, meaning it is so small that it can only be properly seen when lying on the ground.

A new fuzzy plant species called the "Wooly Devil" has been discovered amongst the arid landscapes of Big Bend National Park in Texas.

The Wooly Devil, or Ovicula biradiata​, was first spotted by botany volunteer Deb Manley and a park ranger in Big Bend National Park in Texas in March 2024.

Researchers with the California Academy of Sciences have discovered a new species of sunflower endemic to the harsh, rocky outcroppings found at Big Bend.

A new plant species, Ovicula biradiata, also known as "Wooly Devil," was discovered in Big Bend National Park, marking a new genus in the Daisy family.

The plant, formally known as Ovicula biradiata, is especially notable for being the simultaneous discovery of a new species and genus. It was found with help from the community science app iNaturalist.

Meet "wooly devil," a fuzzy new plant species discovered at a national park in Texas is a brand new species. Botanists are excited to watch it grow this spring.

The small plant, officially named “Ovicula biradiata" and more affectionately called “wooly devil,” was first spotted in March 2024, sprinkled among

Genetic analysis revealed that not only is it a new species, but it’s also a new genus. It’s in the same family as daisies. Researchers named it Ovicula biradiata. Ovicula is Latin for tiny sheep, for the fuzz that resembles wool covering it.