Question: Malabar Botanical Garden and Institute for Plant Sciences is an institution of Government of-
a) Nagaland
b) Kerala
c) Arunachal Pradesh
d) Maharashtra
Answer: (b)
Related Facts:-
- Scientists have recently found two new species Hedychium mechukanum, Amomum arunachalense from Arunachal Pradesh.
- The species Hedychium mechukanum belonging to Hedychium genus and Amomum arunachalense of Amomum genus has large white flowers with a pleasant fragrance.
- The team comprising of M. Sabu and V.S. Hareesh have came across the new species Hedychium mechukanum, during a floristic expedition in the eastern Himalayas.
- This team came from the Malabar Botanical Garden and Institute of Plant Sciences, Kozhikode.
- The team found the species Hedychium mechukanum from a location at Quing and Tato near the Mechuka valley in Shi-Yomi district, Arunachal Pradesh, at an altitude of 1,400 m.
- It should be known that Hedychium mechukanum is a close relative of Hedychium coronarium, also known as white ginger lily.
- Hedychium coronarium or white ginger lily also belongs to a mythological story of the Mahabharatha epic, when Bhima, the second among the five pandava brothers, going in search of the Kalyanasaugandhika.
- Bhima was searching actually the Hedychium coronarium a flower with a heavenly fragrance, to satisfy Panchali’s desire.
- Special fragrance:
- The species has large white flowers with a pleasant fragrance. It was found to be largely similar to other plants of the Hedychium genus found in northeast India and China, but different in several attributes.
- The discovery was published in Gardens Bulletin, Singapore. The paper notes that the plant grows in open areas of evergreen forests.
- Flowering is from mid-June to September and fruiting from September to November. The species was named after the small town Mechuka bordering China.
- The area from where the specimens were collected was under threat from road-widening.
- The scientists observed that Hedychium mechukanum could be widespread in the region.
- They have assessed the species as Data Deficient under the IUCN guidelines.
- The second new species named Amomum arunachalense was collected from Nirjuli in Papum Pare district, Arunachal Pradesh.
- The scientists have reported the discovery in the December 8 issue of Annals Botanici Fennici, a research journal published from Helsinki.
- As many as 11 species of the Amomum genus are distributed in the northeastern and southern regions of India and the Andaman and Nicobar islands.
- Difference in Features:-
- The new species is distinguished from others in the genus mainly by a white rhizome with a pale brown centre.
- The authors collected 20 specimens of the plant from moist, sloping locations along streams.
- They have noted that deforestation and extraction of shoots for medicinal purposes are major threats to the species.
By – Rajesh Tripathi