Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Botanists from Gauhati University rediscovered the rare shrub Ardisia colorata in the Abhaypuri area of Bongaigaon. Forest and Climate Change Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah confirmed the find on October 20. It is a major botanical event. The species had been missing from Indian records for 204 years.
Researchers Manash Baruah and Nilakshee Devi located the plants during surveys held between 2020 and 2025. They examined flowers and leaves to confirm the identity of the species. Their work ended years of confusion regarding the plant's scientific name. The study appears in the journal Feddes Repertorium.
British horticulturist George Loddiges first described the plant in 1821. It prefers shady, humid forest floors and blooms with pink, reddish, or purplish flowers. The team counted only 12 individual plants at the Abhaypuri site. This highlights the extreme fragility of the population.
Minister Baruah praised the team for their work. He noted that the state holds many hidden botanical wonders. Regarding the find, he said, "The state's forests continued to hold botanical treasures that remained little known or unexplored." Future efforts will focus on habitat conservation to ensure the survival of the species.
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