Prelims: Current events of national and international importance | Environment
Why in News?
Recently, scientists from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) discovered and described a new perennial flowering plant species, Ceropegia tamilnaduensis, during floristic surveys in the Western Ghats region of Tamil Nadu.
- Nomenclature - The new species is named after the state of Tamil Nadu to honor its rich endemic flora and ecological heritage.
- Discovery Site & Habitat
- Discovered on the stream-side hill slopes within the Nellai Wildlife Sanctuary (Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu) surrounded by dense evergreen forests.
- Morphological Characteristics
- Growth Form - Perennial herb with drooping/pendant stems.
- Floral Traits - Features single, solitary flowers with a glabrous (hairless) central corona and a specialized pollinial corpusculum with lateral wings.
- Seed Size - Produces unusually large seeds measuring up to 14 mm in length.
- Taxonomic Affinities - Shares floral similarities with Ceropegia annamacharyae and leaf morphology with Ceropegia swarupa.
- Conservation Status
- Provisionally assessed as Data Deficient (DD) under IUCN criteria, pending further field studies to determine its full geographical range and population size.
Nellai Wildlife Sanctuary
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Parameter
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Key Details
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Location & Landscape
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Situated in the southern Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu (Tirunelveli district).
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Notification Year
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Formally notified as a Wildlife Sanctuary in 2015.
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Key Fauna
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Nilgiri Tahr, Lion-tailed Macaque, Asian Elephant, Bengal Tiger, Grizzled Giant Squirrel, and Gaur.
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Ecological Role
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Acts as an important contiguous forest corridor within the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve landscape.
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Reference
Research Matters | Ceropegia tamilnaduensis
