Researchers from IISER Pune and Savanna Science Foundation described Canscora agni from a fire‑prone savanna on Sus Hill, Pune district; the description was accepted on 13 May 2026 and published online in late June 2026.
Taxonomy & Diagnostic characters
- Family & form: Genus Canscora, family Gentianaceae; dwarf herb to 10 centimetres tall.
- Distinctive morphology: uneven winged stems, minute glandular hairs on leaves, shorter ovary, reticulate venation on the calyx, white petals.
- Comparison with relative: differs from Canscora alata principally by stem winging, leaf indumentum and calyx venation.
Ecology & Distribution
- Habitat: grassy, fire‑prone savanna on Sus Hill, western India.
- Fire ecology: specific epithet agni (fire) denotes ecological dependence on periodic natural fires for habitat maintenance.
- Range: single known locality; extremely restricted spatial occurrence.
Threats & Conservation status
- Primary threats: fire suppression and afforestation of savanna grasslands.
- Risk assessment: proposed for listing as Critically Endangered due to very limited distribution and ongoing habitat threats.
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- Publication record: taxonomic description accepted 13 May 2026; published online 24/28 June 2026.
- Nomenclature: governed by the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants (ICN).
- IUCN criterion B thresholds: EOO <100 km2 or AOO <10 km2 used for Critically Endangered classification.
- Relevance: single‑site savanna endemics are focal units in regional biodiversity assessments and state red‑listing.