Recently, India’s flora was enriched with the addition of 267 new taxa or species according to the Botanical Survey of India (BSI). The BSI disclosed these new findings in its recent publication Plant Discoveries 2020. These additions form a significant part of the global commitment as part of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which had earlier asked for an increased fund flow of USD 200 billion from various sources to manage nature through 2030.
Variety of New Additions to Indian Flora
The new discoveries added to India’s flora consisting of 119 species of seed plants, 57 species of fungi, 44 species of lichens, 21 species of algae, 18 species of microbes, five species of bryophytes and three species of fern and fern allies. With these additions, India now boasts about 45,000 species of plants, accounting for roughly 7% of the total plant species worldwide. Notably, about 28% of these plants are endemic to India.
Among these discoveries are nine new balsam species (Impatiens) and a wild banana species (Musa pradhanii) discovered in Darjeeling; a wild jamun species (Sygygium anamalaianum) from Coimbatore; and a fern species (Selaginella odishana) from Kandhamal, Odisha.
Distribution of Species Across Geographical Regions
Geographically, the Western Ghats account for by far the bulk of these discoveries with a contribution of 22%. Following closely are the Western Himalayas (15%), Eastern Himalayas (14%) and Northeast Ranges (12%). Coastal regions too have had their fair share in discoveries with the West coast contributing 10% and the East Coast 9%. The Eastern Ghats and South Deccan have each contributed 4%, while Central Highland and North Deccan have added 3% each to the total discoveries.
The Significance of These Discoveries
As a signatory to the CBD, India is bound to work towards achieving its global strategy of plant conservation. To this end, the BSI, responsible for comprehensive documentation and identification of the country’s plant diversity, compiles and documents new plant discoveries annually. In existence since 1993, the CBD is a legally binding treaty dedicated to conserving biodiversity.
About Botanical Survey of India
The BSI is the leading research organization under the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEFCC) tasked with conducting taxonomic and floristic studies on the country’s wild plant resources. Established in 1890, it has nine regional circles located throughout the country with its headquarters in Kolkata, West Bengal.
The Role of BSI
BSI’s primary functions include the exploration, inventorying and documentation of phytodiversity, particularly in protected areas, hotspots and fragile ecosystems. This includes the publication of National, State and District Floras. Furthermore, they identify threatened and red-listed species and areas rich in species that require conservation measures. Critically threatened species are conserved ex-situ in botanical gardens. The BSI also surveys and documents traditional knowledge (ethnobotany) related to plants and develops a national database of Indian plants, which includes herbarium and live specimens, botanical paintings and illustrations among others.
