The State of Arunachal has indeed a rich variety of flora and fauna as new species are being discovered quite often by researchers. Dipankar Borah from Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar and Alfred Joe from St Joseph’s College in Kerela discovered a plant species, Lysionotus bijantiae, at Potin in Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh in October last year.
Their finding was published in the scientific journal Taiwania, which said that the species was named after Borah’s mother Bijanti, according to Borah’s proposal to honour his mother’s constant support in his career.
Dedicating the name of the newly discovered species to his mother, Borah said his mother was a keen lover of nature and that he was inspired to take his career path in plant studies with his mother’s constant guidance. A homemaker by profession, his mother always ensured a bright future for her child.
The discovered plant grows in wet, shaded areas. According to the IUCN Red List categories and criteria (IUCN, 2012), L. bijantiae should be assessed as ‘critically endangered’ as it has a restricted geographic range of less than 2 square km with only a single location and an estimated number of mature individuals of about 100.
Borah said that September is the best time to see the plant in full bloom. It was found growing under the humid tropical forests in Lower Subansiri at 100 metres above sea level. There were earlier three species of Lysionotus genus in the country, which are also found in Arunachal Pradesh.
