OUR CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: Botanists have discovered a new flowering plant species, named Begonia siangensis, in Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Siang district, adding to the botanical diversity of the Eastern Himalayas.
A team of researchers from Mumbai-based Thackeray Wildlife Foundation found the plant during a floristic exploration of the Siang River basin. It was growing along a shaded mountain stream between Bomdo and Jengging at an elevation of around 600 metres.
The discovery was documented in the Edinburgh Journal of Botany in a research paper published on October 27. The study was conducted by S Kishwan, T U Thackeray and N V Page.
The creeping herbaceous plant has pale pink flowers and dark green leaves. Although it resembles Begonia iridescens, researchers identified distinct features, including nearly equal-sized ovary wings, drooping female flowers and a characteristic textured underside of its leaves.
The researchers compared living and dried specimens with existing botanical records, herbarium collections and international digital databases before confirming it as a previously undescribed species. It was named after the Siang River Valley, where it was discovered.
The species is currently known from only one location, and its population and wider distribution remain uncertain. Researchers have provisionally placed it in the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Data Deficient category and called for further surveys in the region.
Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein welcomed the discovery in a social media post on Friday, describing it as an addition to the state's botanical diversity. He appreciated the researchers and stressed the need to protect the state's ecosystems and natural resources.
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