The Shanxi skullcap (scutellaria baicalensis), a critically endangered plant endemic to North China's Shanxi province, has been rediscovered after 67 years of absence by researchers from the Taiyuan Botanical Garden near the Xuehua Mountain in Yongji city.

The Shanxi skullcap, listed as critically endangered in the China Species Red List, is considered the "panda" of the plant world. This unique species, belonging to the Lamiaceae family and the Scutellaria genus, is an annual herb with heart-shaped leaves and deep purple flowers.

Unlike the commonly used medicinal herb skullcaps, the Shanxi skullcap is a distinct species. While the widely used skullcaps are perennial herbs with medicinal roots, the Shanxi skullcap is an annual herb, meaning it completes its growth cycle within one year and doesn't grow back.

"There are about 350 species of scutellaria worldwide, with 98 in China and seven in Shanxi. Records show that the Shanxi skullcap is endemic to Shanxi," said Ren Baoqing, a botanist at the Taiyuan Botanical Garden.

With the support of the Shanxi Forestry and Grassland Bureau and the forestry bureau of Yongji city, researchers rediscovered this rare species in the shady environment of the Xuehua Mountain at an altitude of 1,200 meters. This discovery not only expands the known altitude range of the species but also provides valuable physical materials for further scientific research.