Guwahati: In a remarkable botanical discovery, researchers from Gauhati University have recorded Ardisia pedunculosa Wall. (family Primulaceae) in Assam for the first time, extending the known distribution of the species beyond the Eastern Himalayas and Bangladesh.
The finding, published in the journal Vegetos (Springer), marks a new addition to the flora of Assam.
The species was discovered during a floristic survey in April 2024 in the tropical moist deciduous forests of the Bherjan Borajan Padumoni Wildlife Sanctuary in Tinsukia district.
Lead author Manash Baruah of the Department of Botany, Gauhati University, and co-author Nilakshee Devi from the Department of Botany, Gauhati University, conducted detailed morphological studies and verified the identification using national and international herbarium databases. The voucher specimen has been deposited at the Gauhati University Botanical Herbarium (GUBH).
“The discovery fills a biogeographical gap between the Eastern Himalayas and Bangladesh, indicating the species’ wider ecological adaptability than previously known,” said Baruah.
Earlier, Ardisia pedunculosa was known only from Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and Bangladesh. Its presence in Assam highlights the state’s rich but still underexplored plant diversity.
The shrub, which flowers between February and May and fruits from June to July, was found growing along forest roadsides in semi-shaded areas. Only six plants were recorded during the survey, suggesting a small and possibly isolated population.
Researchers believe the finding underscores the need for continued floristic exploration and conservation efforts in Assam’s fragmented lowland forests, where undiscovered or rare species may still exist.
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