Rare coffee plant Chewlunia sabahensis officially recognised as novel genus

The discovery of the rare species by researchers Joel Dawat (right) and Postar Miun in November 2024.

KOTA KINABALU: The rare Chewlunia sabahensis coffee plant has been officially recognised as a novel genus.

The plant samples were first collected in 1975 by the department’s doyen of field-collecting, Leopold Madani. At the time, Chewlunia sabahensis remained unclassified as a new genus.