Two bio-geographic hotspots in India yield two new plant species

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Two bio-geographic hotspots in India yield two new plant species

Context:

Dendrophthoe longensis discovered in Long Islands of middle Andamans and Petrocosmea arunachalense found in a cave in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh.

 

Discovery of Dendrophthoe longensis:

  • Location: Long Islands, middle Andamans, India.
  • Species: Aerial stem-parasitic flowering plant.
  • Host Plant: Mango (Mangifera indica).
  • Habitat: Edge of evergreen forests, lowland tropical forest areas.
  • Distribution: Sparse, limited to specific localities.
  • Conservation Status: Endangered (IUCN).
  • Significance: Represents a hemi-parasitic mistletoe species adapted to specific ecological conditions.

Two bio-geographic hotspots in India yield two new plant species

Discovery of Petrocosmea arunachalense:

  • Location: Mandla region, West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh, India.
  • Species: Small herbaceous plant.
  • Habitat: Found inside a cave, indicating low light requirements.
  • Appearance: White with purple blotch, hairy texture.
  • Family: Gesneriaceae.
  • Uniqueness: Second known species of the genus Petrocosmea in India.

Two bio-geographic hotspots in India yield two new plant species

Biodiversity Hotspots: 

  • Biodiversity hotspots, as defined by British biologist Norman Myers, are regions with high species richness, significant endemism, and often severe habitat loss.
  • Globally, 36 such regions exist, covering just 2.5% of Earth’s land surface
  • But supporting over half of all plant species as endemic and nearly 43% of bird, mammal, reptile and amphibian species as endemic.
  • To qualify as a hotspot, a region must:
    • Contains at least 1,500 endemic vascular plant species (>0.5% of the world’s total), making it irreplaceable.
    • Have lost at least 70% of its original habitat, indicating it is threatened (must have 30% or less of its original natural vegetation).
  •  India hosts four hotspots
    • The Himalayas, Indo-Burma, Western Ghats, and Sundaland.

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