New Alpine Plant Species Discovered in Arunachal Pradesh

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Context

A new species of alpine plant in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang district has been discovered by a group of scientists of three institutes of the country. As per guidelines from the International Union for Conservation of Nature, alpine plant species are critically endangered.

Key Highlights 

• The new species belongs to the family of Himalayan sunflower and it is named as Cremanthodium indicum.

• It is a perennial herb and stands 16–24 cm tall and is endemic to Penga-Teng Tso Lake of Tawang district.

• Cremanthodium indicum grows in boggy soil among mosses along the banks of alpine lake.

• This species of plant generally flowers from the month of July to August.

• Tawang district holds one of the assemblages of flowering plants in the northeastern state, which attracts botanists across the world.

• The alpine plant species is assessed as critically endangered under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

About Alpine Plants

• Alpine plants are plants that grow in an alpine climate, which occurs at high elevation and above the treeline. 

  • Tree line is the edge of habitat at which trees are capable to grow.

  • Tree line is found at high elevations and high latitudes.

  •  It is the line beyond which the trees cannot tolerate environmental conditions like extreme snowpack, cold temperatures, or associated lack of moisture.

• Many of the plant species and taxon grow as a plant community in such alpine tundra including perennial grasses, forbes, sedges, mosses, cushion plants and lichens. 

• Alpine plants are adapted to harsh alpine climatic of environmental conditions such as dryness, low temperatures, wind, drought, ultraviolet radiation, poor nutritional soil and a short growing season.