Reported by: Roopak Goswami
Guwahati: A team of botanists from Assam has recorded the rare liverwort species Radula anceps Sande Lac. in mainland India for the first time from Assam’s Ultapani Forest Range in Kokrajhar district, marking a significant addition to the country’s bryophyte records.
The species was previously known only from Little Nicobar in the Nicobar group of islands. Scientists say the latest finding considerably expands the known distribution range of the species within India.
The discovery was made during a field exploration carried out in March 2025 by researchers Twinkle Basumatary, O.M. Sruthi and Sanjib Baruah. Their study has been published in the journal National Academy of Science Letters.
Researchers collected the specimen from a moist, shaded semi-evergreen forest habitat in Ultapani at an elevation of around 178 metres. The plant was found growing on bark and rocks alongside other bryophyte species.
According to the study, Radula anceps belongs to the Radulaceae family of liverworts — small non-vascular plants regarded as important indicators of ecological health and forest microclimatic conditions.
Senior Assistant Professor in Botany at Bodoland University, Sanjib Baruah, said, “The discovery of Radula anceps from mainland India, particularly from Assam, is a significant contribution to the bryophyte diversity of the country. Assam’s rich forest ecosystems continue to reveal many unexplored and scientifically important plant groups. Our study not only extends the known distribution of this species but also highlights the importance of detailed taxonomic investigations in lesser-studied regions.”
He added that such findings strengthen the documentation of India’s biodiversity and underscore the urgent need to conserve fragile forest habitats.
Research scholar at Bodoland University, Twinkle Basumatary saidthe discovery reflected the vast unexplored biodiversity of Northeast India’s forests, especially among often-overlooked bryophytes. “It is a matter of great satisfaction that our field exploration in the Ultapani Forest Range led to the first mainland Indian report of Radula anceps. Through careful collection, identification and documentation, we aimed to provide a reliable taxonomic account of the species,” she said.