Photo Courtesy: northeasttoday
Itanagar: Scientists have identified three new species of deciduous Berberis shrubs in the high-altitude forests of Arunachal Pradesh. The discovery, published in the Nordic Journal of Botany, adds significantly to the botanical diversity of the Eastern Himalaya.
Researchers Bipankar Hajong and Dr. Pankaj Bharali of the CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology found the plants during field explorations in the Tawang and West Kameng districts. The species, named Berberis pseudovirescens, Berberis orbicularis, and Berberis tawangensis, were documented at elevations between 2,000 and 3,200 meters. Each species exhibits unique physical traits, such as distinct leaf shapes and berry colors, that separate them from the more than 400 known Berberis varieties globally.
These shrubs play a vital role in local ecosystems by stabilizing slopes and providing food for pollinators and birds. In traditional medicine, parts of the Berberis plant are often used to treat fevers and gastrointestinal issues due to the presence of the compound berberine, which is also being studied for modern pharmacological benefits.
Although these plants have been classified as Data Deficient under current conservation guidelines, experts warn that their limited range makes them potentially threatened. Researchers are calling for immediate habitat protection to ensure the survival of these newly described species in the region.
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