Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala

Karkala, Nov 25: The biodiversity of the Western Ghats has received a significant addition with the discovery of a new balsam (Impatiens) species in Kudremukh National Park.

Researchers from Madurai College, Tamil Nadu, have identified what is believed to be the smallest-flowered species of Impatiens ever recorded in the region. The newly discovered plant has been scientifically named Impatiens selvasinghii.

The species was found in the shola grassland zone near the trekking trail atop the Kudremukh National Park range, at an elevation of around 1,630 metres above sea level.

Botanists said it is an entirely new species that does not match any previously recorded variant. A detailed scientific paper on the discovery has been published in the Taiwania International Journal of Biodiversity.

The plant has been named selvasinghii in honour of Dr P Selvasingh Richard of Madras Christian College, Chennai, for his notable contributions to the study of Western Ghats flora.

Researchers warned that the species is vulnerable to damage as it was found close to a trekking route. Increased tourist movement could pose a threat to its survival, and they stressed the need for immediate conservation measures.

Due to insufficient scientific data, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has placed the species under the “Data Deficient (DD)” category on the Red List — meaning there is not enough information to assess whether the plant is threatened or secure.