Scientists Name New Ginger Lily Species After Zubeen Garg

Guwahati: Botanists officially named a newly discovered ginger lily species Hedychium zubeengargianum. The plant belongs to the Zingiberaceae family. Dilip Kumar Roy of Birjhora Mahavidyalaya, Bongaigaon University, led the discovery team. Rikertre Lytan and Nripemo Odyuo of the Botanical Survey of India in Shillong assisted in the effort. The team first spotted the creamy-white flower in 2018 at the Botanical Survey of India garden in Shillong.

Researchers published their findings on July 21, 2026, in the June issue of the journal Phytotaxonomy. The paper bears the title Hedychium zubeengargianum (Zingiberaceae), a new ginger lily from Northeastern India. Scientists chose the name to honor the late Assamese singer for his work in music and his active role in forest and biodiversity conservation.

The researchers stated: "The choice of the specific epithet 'zubeengargianum' is a conscious and deeply respectful tribute to the artist's decades of cultural contributions and his unwavering love for nature." This marks the second time this year that a new plant species carries the singer's name. Botanists previously named an Osbeckia species from Manas National Park Osbeckia zubeengargiana.