DAR ES SALAAM, Oct. 15 -- IN a stunning botanical breakthrough, scientists have discovered a colossal tree species in Tanzanias Udzungwa Mountains that may be up to 3,000 years old and has never been documented before.

Named Tessmannia princeps, this towering rainforest giant stands as one of the oldest and tallest trees in the tropics, hidden in remote, cloud-covered valleys far from human settlements.

Its discovery has amazed researchers, as even local botanists had never encountered it.

With only about 100 mature individuals found so far, the tree is already being considered for protection due to its rarity and ecological importance.

The discovery was made by Andrea Bianchi, a horticulturist from the Muse Science Museum in Trento, ...