Guwahati: A newly discovered plant species from Assam has been named after celebrated Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, marking a rare tribute from the world of botany to a cultural icon of the region.
The species, Osbeckia zubeengargiana, has been described by researchers from the Botany Department of Gauhati University, Barnali Das and Prof. Namita Nath, in collaboration with Dr. Prashob Pulpra of NSS College, Kerala, in the international taxonomy journal Phytotaxa
Barnali Das is currently working as an Assistant Professor of Botany at Pragjyotish College. The plant belongs to the Melastomataceae family and was identified from collections made in Assam.
The species was found in Manas National Park in Baksa district during a survey conducted as part of research work on the Melastomataceae family.
According to the researchers, the newly documented species belongs to the genus Osbeckia, a group of flowering plants widely distributed across Southeast Asia, with major centres of diversity in the Eastern Himalayas and the Western Ghats.
The scientists said the plant shares similarities with Osbeckia rostrata due to its four-petalled (tetramerous) flowers, but differs in several key characteristics, including its growth habit, leaf morphology, bract structure, seed size and distinctive floral features.
The species was named zubeengargiana as a tribute to Zubeen Garg, one of Assam’s most influential musicians, whose work has played a major role in promoting Assamese language and culture across generations.
“Naming a species after a personality is often a way to honour individuals who have made a significant cultural or societal impact,” the authors noted in the study.
The discovery highlights the rich yet still underexplored plant diversity of Northeast India, particularly in Assam, which lies within the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot—one of the most species-rich regions in the world. The species falls under the Data Deficient category as it has been found only in the type locality.
Botanists say such findings underline the importance of continued taxonomic research and field exploration, as new species are still being discovered in the region’s forests, grasslands and hill ecosystems.
The identification of Osbeckia zubeengargiana adds to the growing list of plant species discovered in Northeast India in recent years, reinforcing the region’s reputation as a global biodiversity treasure trove.
Website: plantscientist.org
Nomination Link
Registration Link
Here with connected:
Follow the Plant Scientist Awards channel on WhatsApp:
Comments
Post a Comment