ITANAGAR: Researchers from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) have discovered a new plant species at the Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh.
The species, named Phlogacanthus Sudhansusekharii, belongs to the family Acanthaceae and the genus Phlogacanthus.
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The new plant species has been named in honour of Dr Sudhansu Sekhar Dash, a distinguished BSI scientist recognized for his significant contributions to plant and ecological research in the Indian Himalayan region.
The detailed findings were published by authors Samrat Goswami and Rohan Maity in the Indian Journal of Forestry.
Phlogacanthus Sudhansusekharii is closely related to Phlogacanthus Guttatus (Wall) Nees but can be distinguished by various morphological features, particularly the shape and size of its calyx, staminodes, and its distinctly coloured corona, according to BSI officials.
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The genus Phlogacanthus includes 13 species in India, predominantly found in the Northeast and eastern Himalayan states.
Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu expressed his delight over the discovery.
“The biodiversity of Arunachal Pradesh is wide and varied. In addition to the findings of new flora, researchers from BSI have identified a new plant species, named Phlogacanthus Sudhansusekharii, in the Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary,” Khandu said.