New Plant Species Strobilanthes riteshii Discovered in Arunachal Pradesh

Key facts

• Scientists from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and Agharkar Research Institute (ARI) discovered a new flowering plant species named Strobilanthes riteshii in Arunachal Pradesh.
• The species was identified near Chayangtajo village in the East Kameng district at an elevation of approximately 1,600 metres.
• The plant is named in honour of Dr Ritesh Kumar Choudhary, a taxonomist from the ARI, for his contributions to plant taxonomy and molecular systematics.
• Researchers recorded fewer than 25 mature individuals of the species, leading to its provisional assessment as Data Deficient under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List criteria.
• The discovery was published in the Indian Journal of Forestry by a team including researchers from the BSI and ARI Pune.
• India hosts approximately 168 species of the genus Strobilanthes, with Arunachal Pradesh alone home to at least 44 species.
• The species is genetically distinct but closely related to plants found in India, China, and Tibet, highlighting the eastern Himalaya as a key biogeographical corridor.
• Conservation efforts have commenced with individuals of the species being maintained at the BSI Arunachal Pradesh Regional Centre.