Researchers Discovered New Lichen Species Buellia maharajensis in Kerala

Key facts

• A new lichen species, Buellia maharajensis, was discovered in Mathikettan Shola National Park, Idukki, Kerala, and named in honour of Maharaja's College, Ernakulam, as it marks its 150th anniversary.
• The species was identified during a lichen diversity survey and described in the 2026 volume of the international journal Taiwania.
• Buellia maharajensis is a saxicolous lichen growing on rock surfaces, recorded at an elevation of around 1,351m.
• Researchers Aswathi Anilkumar, Arun Christy and Stephen Sequeira of the Lichenology Laboratory at Maharaja's College, along with Siljo Joseph of Kerala Forest Research Institute and Sanjeeva Nayaka and Roshini Kumar Ngangom of CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, authored the study.
• The study also records Buellia hemisphaerica and Buellia nilgiriensis as new records for Kerala, and the researchers had earlier reported three other new lichen species from the same national park.