# WWF to auction naming opportunity for newly discovered flower

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2015/06/01/wwf-auction-naming-opportunity-for-newly-discovered-flower/
- Published: 2015-06-01T13:09:03+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

WWF South Africa is offering the unusual opportunity to name a newly discovered 
species of flower in a fundraising auction. All proceeds from the auction will go
to support the organisation’s conservation work in East and South Africa.

Usually the honour of choosing a name for a newly discovered species goes to one
or more of those scientists who discovered it.

WWF South Africa hopes the rare opportunity will appeal to gardeners, amateur botanists
and those with an interest in plant conservation. The highest bidder will be able
to choose to name the flower after themselves, a friend or a loved one. They will
also receive the original botanical painting of the flower by South African botanical
artist Lisa Strachan.

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The new flower was discovered in the Cederberg Mountains in South Africa, and has
conspicuous star-shaped flowers. It belongs to the Ixia genus, a group of plants
that has been sought after by collectors and cultivators in Europe since the mid-
1700’s.

The [WWF new flower auction auction](http://www.wwf.org.za/species_name_auction)
is by invitation only and will take place at the Linnaean Society in London on 24
June 2015.

 

**• Plenty of charities have raised funds when authors auction the chance to name
a character in their next novel, including [Ian Rankin](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/2001/12/28/ian-rankin-auctions-thriller-character-name-charity/),
[Sir Anthony Horowitz](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/2014/12/08/chance-feature-next-james-bond-novel-raises-30000-londons-air-ambulance/),
and [69 authors supporting CLIC Sargent](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/2015/02/26/69-authors-support-clic-sargents-get-character-auction/).**