Sonerila roxburghii:
Researchers recently identified a new species of flowering plant named Sonerila roxburghii from the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats in Kerala.
- It is a new species of flowering plant.
- It was discovered in the Mankulam and Kallar areas of the Idukki district of Kerala, at elevations ranging between 1,380 and 1,480 metres above sea level.
- The species has been named in honour of renowned botanist William Roxburgh – hailing from Scotland – often regarded as the Father of Indian Botany and one of the earliest scientists to document the Sonerila genus.
- It belongs to the Sonerila genus of the Melastomataceae (flowering plant) family.
- It can be distinguished by several unique morphological characteristics, including:
- Plant stems growing up to 60 cm in height.
- Light pink flowers.
- Smooth, flattened leaf surfaces gradually tapering toward the stem.
- Adaptation to moist, high-altitude rocky habitats.
- The species belongs to a group of delicate tropical herbs largely confined to the higher reaches of the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot.
has been placed in the Critically Endangered category due to its highly restricted distribution and fragile habitat conditions.
