A newly described fungus from Dorrigo National Park is drawing attention for its unexpected beauty — and for what it reveals about how much of the natural world we still overlook.

Nicknamed the “ballerina fungus” for its delicate, tutu-like caps, Marasmius ballator has so far been found in just one small patch of forest. Whether it is genuinely rare, threatened, or simply under-recorded is unknown — a familiar problem for fungi, which remain largely absent from biodiversity surveys.

The species was identified by Frances Guard, a retired GP in her 80s now completing a PhD in mycology, working with academic collaborators and citizen scientists. It was formally described using modern DNA-based techniques that are helping scientists recognise new species more quickly, while there is still time to study and protect them.

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