Itanagar, Sep 29 (PTI) Botanists have discovered a new plant species in Arunachal Pradesh’s Shi-Yomi district, highlighting the rich botanical diversity of the Eastern Himalaya, officials said on Tuesday.
Named Didymocarpus nautiyalii, the new species belongs to the Gesneriaceae family and was discovered during a botanical survey in the district, they said.
The species has recently been formally described in the scientific journal Taiwania, marking a new addition to the flora of Arunachal Pradesh.
The researchers identified the plant after detailed examination of field specimens and comparison with scientific literature and herbarium material.
The small herb grows on moist rock surfaces, including roadside walls and areas near waterfalls, in subtropical evergreen forests at elevations above 1,000 metres. It grows to only around 8 cm and has leathery leaves and distinctive bluish-purple flowers.
According to the scientific description, the plant resembles Didymocarpus albiflorus but differs in several characteristics, including its much shorter stem, very short or absent leaf stalks, leathery leaf blades, smaller calyx, shorter bluish-purple corolla and a hairless ovary.
These features helped establish it as a species previously unknown to science, officials said.
Led by Madhusudhan Khanal of the G B Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment (GBPNIHE), the team includes researchers from the institute, Sikkim University, Kaliabor College and Jawaharlal Nehru College at Pasighat, the officials said.
The species has been named Didymocarpus nautiyalii in honour of Prof Sunil Nautiyal, a former director of GBPNIHE, in recognition of his contribution to Himalayan environmental research and conservation.
The researchers have currently assessed D nautiyalii as Data Deficient under the IUCN Red List criteria, as there is not enough information to determine its extinction risk.
With only two known populations and 19 flowering individuals recorded so far, they have recommended further surveys, population monitoring and studies on its ecology, reproductive biology and habitat requirements.
The discovery has also drawn appreciation from Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, who described it as “another remarkable addition” to the state’s natural heritage.
Mein said the formal description of Didymocarpus nautiyalii was a significant contribution to understanding the unique botanical diversity of the Eastern Himalaya.
Referring to the 19 flowering individuals recorded from the two known populations, he said the discovery was also a reminder of how much remained to be explored and documented in Arunachal’s forests.
He commended the team of botanists for their fieldwork and scientific efforts. PTI UPL UPL BDC
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