New plant species found in Western Ghats

A new plant species belonging to the genus Pinda in the family Apiaceae has been discovered in the Western Ghats.

A release said that it was identified as part of the research work of C. Rekha, a research scholar in the Department of Botany, St. Joseph’s College, Devagiri, Kozhikode. The study was carried out under the guidance of K.M. Manudev, with contributions from co-researchers M.K. Prashanth of St. Joseph’s College, Devagiri, and Ajay Nath Gangurde of the Institute of Science, Dr. Homi Bhabha State University, Mumbai. This attractive plant, with white flowers emerging from a tuberous rootstock at the onset of the monsoon, was discovered at Torna Fort in Pune district, Maharashtra.

The details have been published in the July issue of the international journal Nordic Journal of Botany. The species grows up to about one metre tall and starts flowering from June. It belongs to the carrot-cumin family (Apiaceae). The species has been named Pinda mukherjeeana in honour of Prasanta Kumar Mukherjee, an eminent botanist.