Key Highlights
- Researchers from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the Uluberia Botanical Institute Herbarium, West Bengal recorded Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb.) Ker Gawl. in India for the first time.
- The species was found on a moist, shaded forest floor near a temperate broadleaf forest at an elevation of 2,185 metres in West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh.
- The discovery extends the known distribution of the species to the Eastern Himalaya, a region considered botanically under-explored.
About Ophiopogon japonicus
- Common names: Dwarf lilyturf and Mondo grass
- Habit: An evergreen perennial herb that grows in dense clumps
- Morphological features:
- Narrow, grass-like leaves
- Small white to pale-purple flowers
- Blue berry-like fruits
Taxonomic Classification
- Family: Asparagaceae
- Genus Ophiopogon: Comprises around 85 species worldwide
- India: Seven species of the genus were previously recorded from India; the new record adds one more to the country's flora
Distribution
- Native range: East Asia — China, Japan, Korea and Nepal
- Global elevation range: Generally 200–2,800 metres
- New Indian record: Eastern Himalaya (Arunachal Pradesh)
Uses
- The tuberous roots, known as Ophiopogonis Radix or Maidong, are traditionally used in Chinese medicine
- Reported medicinal properties:
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antioxidant
- Immunomodulatory
Concerns
- The newly recorded population may face local threats due to its roadside habitat, including:
- Road construction
- Landslides
- Habitat disturbance
Significance
- Adds a new species to India's floral diversity
- Extends the known distribution of the species to the Eastern Himalaya, a globally recognised biodiversity region that remains botanically under-explored
- Underlines the need for systematic floristic surveys and habitat protection in the Himalayan region
Related Context for UPSC
- Eastern Himalaya: Part of the Himalaya Biodiversity Hotspot; Arunachal Pradesh harbours rich endemic flora due to its altitudinal and climatic diversity
- Wildlife Institute of India (WII): An autonomous institution under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), headquartered in Dehradun
- Policy linkages: Relevant to the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, and India's commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) regarding documentation and conservation of floral diversity