Researchers at Boise State University and the College of Idaho have found a previously unidentified species of plant – hiding in plain sight in the Boise foothills. Boise State Public Radio reports today that the plant was often identified as biscuit-root, but when professors tested it and broke down its genome, they found it was an undiscovered species within the biscuit-root genus. “Things that look really similar sometimes are not closely related at all,” James Smith, a professor in BSU’s Department of Biological Sciences, told BSPR. Smith collaborated with Don Mansfield at the College of Idaho and undergraduate students working in both their labs.

Now, the scientists get to provide the official Greek or Latin name for the newly identified plant. They’re auctioning off the naming rights as a fundraiser, with bids starting at $10,000, and will use the money raised to support more research; the auction closes at 5 p.m. on Oct. 20. You can read BSPR’s full report here; and read more about the naming-rights auction here.

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