Arunachal: Researchers Discover New Plant Species In Mayodia

PASIGHAT: A new plant species has been discovered in the forest regions of Mayodia in Arunachal Pradesh by researchers from the Pasighat-based North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda and Folk Medicine Research (NEIAFMR).

As per the experts, the plant species "Ophiorrhiza gajureliana" is a member of the Ophiorrhiza genus and the Rubiaceae family.

According to NEIAFMR officials, the plant species is named in honour of Prof. Padma Raj Gajurel, a faculty member at the North Eastern Regional Institute of Science & Technology (NERIST), located in Nirjuli, for his important contributions to ethnobotanical and plant study in the Eastern Himalayas.

Under the direction of scientist Dr. Amal Bawri, the NEIAFMR research team set off on an expedition to record medicinal plants in the Lower Dibang Valley district on September 8, 2023.

The crew discovered an Ophiorrhiza species growing on hill slopes close to a waterfall while conducting fieldwork. Conventional taxonomic methods were used in the collection, processing, and preparation of the herbarium specimens. Following their deposit at NEIAFMRH, the specimens were identified by a review of relevant literature.

Less than 100 mature individuals are thought to make up the plant's total known population, which is now known to exist in just one small region on the hill slopes in the Lower Dibang Valley district. Experts estimate that the species' range is less than 100 square kilometres, with landslides being one of the main dangers.

Based on the information available, the team assessed the taxon as critically endangered in accordance with the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) categories and criteria (IUCN 2001 and 2012). In order to keep the plant from going extinct, the researchers stressed the importance of taking urgent conservation action. In the area, people utilise the liquid from crushed flowers as cough treatments.

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