Phlogacanthus sudhansusekharii Discovered in Arunachal Pradesh Sanctuary

Why in News?

Arunachal Pradesh, which is blessed with diverse flora and fauna, enriches India’s bio-diversity cradle again with the discovery of a new plant species Phlogacanthus sudhansusekharii. The research is a part of the visit by the researchers from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) familiarising itself with the flora that the region has to offer while reminding responsibility towards conservation of the less known virgin territory.

Discovering Phlogacanthus sudhansusekharii

• The new species, Phlogacanthus sudhansusekharii was obtained from Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary which is a comparatively wet terrain located in Arunachal Pradesh.
• The present finding can be correlated with the enhancement of species list in the family Acanthaceae and genus Phlogacanthus which is known having 13 species and are confined mostly to northeastern and eastern Himalayas.
• This new species is named in honor of Dr. Sudhansu Sekhar Dash who has selflessly contributed his time as a scientist in BSI and has contributed immensely in plant and ecological research particular to the Indian Himalayan region.
• Dr. Dash depends for his work in recording and promoting an area’s biodiversity, and that is why this new entertainment finds its way to add to his discoveries.

Research Findings

• The Technological skills that were applied in the discovery of Phlogacanthus sudhansusekharii was detailed in a research paper written by Samrat Goswami and Rohan Maity, which was published in the indian journal of forestry.
• The researchers used clear contrasting of the plant pointing out that this plant differs from Phlogacanthus guttatus in shape and size of the various organs it possesses.
• Such differences are well recorded and provided important information with reference to other botanical works.

Species Overview

Phlogacanthus sudhansusekharii indeed is a great addition to the genus Phlogacanthus which and has a rich diversified species with regard to coloration. This species is native to India particularly in the northeastern part of which the plant grows in the damp and shady areas of Arunachal Pradesh state. The peculiarities of the species in combination with obviously violet flower color and its leaves morphology it is becoming the very expressive part of the flora of America.

Significance of the Discovery

Since the find’s documentation, there has been positive interest shown by the scientific fraternity and government bodies in charge of Phuket province. Arunachal Pradesh’s Chief Minister, Pema Khandu, welcomed the find and underlined the need for ensuring the young generation gets to inherit the region’s gem. This feeling was a consequence of increasing understanding of the urgency of the problems of preservation and reasonable use of the materials in the given area.

Endemic new species discovery not only emphasizes the biological diversity of the Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary but also raises awareness on the importance of a protected area in the conservation of species. It helps in increasing awareness of the many species that might still be out there waiting to be discovered in the area.

Ecological Importance

• Phlogacanthus Sudhansusekharii is an important plant species in the damp Shady forests for it has lots of functions, such as being an important plant species, food for many animals, plant and being an important part of the ecosystem.
• Hence its remains serve as a component of the diversity and functioning of communities in which it grows. The purple flowers of the plant seems to be serving pollination while the other functions are beneficial for the other organisms in the ecosystem.
• Details concerning the Phlogacanthus sudhansusekharii ecological relations and possible advantages are still to be researched.
• But the aspect of this bird’s specie found in the forest ecosystem demonstrates the complexity of interdependence of the area’s species.
• It becomes necessary to safeguard such a species as it helps in conserving the viability of these ecosystems.

Conservation Challenges

• However, like all the other species, there are complex conservation problems in the case of Phlogacanthus sudhansusekharii and some of these are enumerated below:
• The natural environment of the plant, Arunachal Pradesh is mainly the forests found in areas that are damped and shady, and the environment is threatened now by factors such as deforestation, expansion of infrastructure as well as agricultural activities.
• Awareness creation on the need to protect such habitats will go along way in the conservation of Phlogacanthus sudhansusekharii and the other endemic plants. This involves creating proper utiliziation of the land, improving the efficiency of protected land, and involvement of locals in conservancy programs.

Potential Medicinal Uses

• Another interesting feature of Phlogacanthus sudhansusekharii is the possible employment in medical science.
• Although much has not been written about the beneficial effects of this plant, it belongs to the family Acanthaceae and can therefore go a long way in being beneficial in our lives.
• Most of the family’s plants are used in traditional medicine to cure assorted diseases and conditions.
• The detailed study is required to describe the biological activities of Phlogacanthus sudhansusekharii for the future pharmacological uses.
• Research data about its chemical content and phytochemicals could therefore be beneficial and potentially discover therapeutic values, in ethnopharmacology and indigenous medicine. They could also support the preservation of the species by awakening people to the importance of the species to health and other wellbeing aspects of life.

A Call to Action

• The identification of a new species of ants, namely Phlogacanthus sudhansusekharii draws attention to the uncharted and immense richness of India’s forests particularly in the context of Arunachal Pradesh.
• This brings out the importance of the discovery, documentation, and conservation of the plant species in this area.
• This means that researchers ,conservationists and relevant policies must come together and do all that is possible possible to maintain the status of these features as natural treasures or features.

Efforts should include:

• Enhanced Botanical Surveys: Biodiversity inventory of organisms especially plants in virgin and less studied regions in an effort to sample out new species and their risks.
• Community Engagement: Engaging the community members in conservation for the purpose of encouraging them to embrace the conventions that support the sustainability of ecosystems.
• Conservation Policies: Increasing the measures reducing such factors as policies and regulations that endanger habitation and hence, reduce habitat.
• Scientific Research: Assisting in the funding of research projects to determine the environmental and curative uses of the new discovered species to improve on the appreciation of their worth.

Conclusion

• A new species Phlogacanthus sudhansusekharii has been identified in the Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary which is a breakthrough for researchers in the botanical fraternity.
• It focuses on the years of a biological wealth of Arunachal Pradesh and the need for the preservation of this microcosm.
• In light of such a discovery, one has to look forward to the future to ensure that we do not threaten our natural endowment as we enjoy the good life.
• Improving the consciousness towards nature and implementing sustainable measures will allow witnessing beautiful animals and plants of Arunachal Pradesh over and over again for future generations.
• The lost history of Phlogacanthus sudhansusekharii is inspiring and urges on all those who work towards the conservation of our planet’s marvellous species.