Researchers have discovered a new flowering plant species, Disporopsis crispata, in the remote forests of Vijoynagar in Arunachal Pradesh’s Changlang district, marking the first recorded occurrence of the genus Disporopsis in India.
The plant was found at an altitude of 2,500 to 2,800 metres, and the findings have been published in the international botanical journal Phytotaxa. The discovery extends the known geographical range of the genus towards the west, underlining how much of Arunachal Pradesh’s plant wealth remains undocumented.
Disporopsis crispata is distinguished by its strongly wavy, crinkled leaf margins, reddish stems and white-and-green flowers. The species name crispata refers to the distinctive undulating edges of its leaves. The plant flowers between May and June, with fruiting recorded from July to December, and grows on damp slopes in temperate forests dominated by mixed rhododendron and bamboo vegetation.
A mystery unsolved for more than six decades
The discovery resolves a puzzle that had stood since 1962, when specimens collected in the Kachin Hills of Myanmar remained unidentified because they lacked flowering material, leading scientists to place them in the wrong genus. The flowering specimen that settled the question was collected by Vinay Kumar Sahani during a field survey in Vijoynagar, with support from local Yobin and Gorkha communities.
The research team included authors from the Missouri Botanical Garden and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein acknowledged the find, noting the role of local communities in the field efforts.
The genus Disporopsis comprises around 12 known species, previously recorded mainly in Myanmar, China, Taiwan, the Philippines and other parts of Southeast Asia. The Vijoynagar record marks the westernmost expansion of the genus into India.
Why the find matters
Both the new species and Begonia siangensis, identified in the Siang river basin, are currently listed as Data Deficient under International Union for Conservation of Nature criteria, meaning not enough is known yet to assess their conservation status. The classification highlights how fragile and poorly surveyed these high-altitude habitats remain.
The discovery adds to a growing list of botanical finds from the state. Scientists recently uncovered a flowerless orchid that lives in the dark in Arunachal Pradesh, while a Zoological Survey of India study found rich wild bee diversity in Tawang. The Governor has called for urgent botanical surveys in the state’s uncharted territories, a call this discovery strengthens.
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