GUWAHATI: Researchers from the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM), collaborating with researchers from CSIR-Northeast Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat in Assam have recently made a significant discovery—a new flowering plant named “Begonia Narahari” in Arunachal Pradesh.
This remarkable find occurred in the Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh.
Dr Nazir Ahmad Bhat, an assistant professor at USTM in Meghalaya and Bipankar Hajong, a PhD scholar at CSIR-NEIST, encountered and collected intriguing specimens belonging to the Begonia genus of the Begoniaceae family.
They received guidance from Dr Pankaj Bharali, a senior scientist at CSIR-NEIST, and transported the specimens to the laboratory for analysis.
After meticulous examination and comparison with known Begonia species worldwide, the researchers confirmed its identity as a previously undescribed and new species within the genus Begonia.
Dr Nazir Ahmad Bhat explained, “The species, named ‘Narahari’, honours Prof Garikapati Narahari Sastry, the former director of CSIR-Northeast Institute of Science and Technology (NEIST), Jorhat, for his remarkable efforts in establishing the Germplasm Conservation Centre for the bio-resources of Northeast India and his dedication to the region’s welfare.”
This discovery has been documented in the current issue of Phytotaxa, the world’s largest journal in botanical taxonomy.
The researchers provided comprehensive information about Begonia Narahari, highlighting its distinctive feature of displaying a vivid blue iridescence in direct light.
They presented detailed characterization, accompanied by coloured photographs and comparisons with related species (B lophura, B iridescens, and B rockii) to aid in easy identification.
Presently, Begonia Narahari is only known from the Demwe locality in the Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh.
Due to limited data on its global population, the species is tentatively classified as Data Deficient (DD) following IUCN species assessment guidelines (IUCN, 2022).
Given its restricted habitat and potential threats such as agricultural and urban expansion, habitat loss from fires, and timber extraction, conservation efforts are imperative.
Certain Begonia species contribute to ecological balance by providing habitat and sustenance for various fauna, underscoring the importance of protecting Begonia Narahari and its habitat.