GUWAHATI: A rare purple-flowered Himalayan plant, Cyananthus hookeri, has been recorded in India after 158 years, with its presence confirmed in the Chuna Valley of Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh. The finding marks the first confirmed record of the species in the state and is being considered a significant development in Indian botany.
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The species was last documented in India in 1867 from Sikkim by British botanist Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker. Since then, there had been no confirmed record of the plant from the country. The discovery highlights the rich biodiversity of Arunachal Pradesh and the ecological importance of its Himalayan regions.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu welcomed the discovery in a post on X, saying, “After 158 years, the rare purple-flowered Himalayan plant Cyananthus hookeri has been recorded in India once again.” He said the discovery, which marks the first confirmed record of the species in Arunachal Pradesh, is a significant milestone for botany and reflects the state’s extraordinary biodiversity.