New Fire-Resilient Plant Species Discovered In India's Western Ghats

Scientists have discovered a new fire-resilient, dual-blooming plant species in India's Northern Western Ghats, which they have named 'Dicliptera polymorpha'. The new species experiences a burst of flowering, triggered through grassland fires, and is recognised for its rare inflorescence structure, according to the Ministry of Science & Technology.

Western Ghats, one of India's four global biodiversity hotspots, are known to harbour several yet-to-be-discovered species. For decades, it has been a focus of exploration by the Pune-based Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science & Technology.

The latest discovery was made by a team led by Dr Mandar Datar. It also included Talegaon-Dabhade-based botanist Adittya Dharap and PhD student Bhushan Shigwan.

It was collected from Talegaon-Dabhade, famous for its grasslands and fodder markets.

The distinctive species is notable for its fire-resilient, pyrophytic habit as well as the unique dual-blooming pattern. Besides its typical post-monsoon flowering, it exhibits a vigorous burst of flowering triggered by the grassland fires set by locals in the area.

The species is "taxonomically unique" as the inflorescence units (cymules) can develop into spicate inflorescences, making it the only known species in India with this spicate inflorescence structure. Its closest ally is found in Africa.

The name, 'Dicliptera polymorpha', was given to the species to reflect its diverse morphological traits.

The team collected its first specimens during the 2020 monsoon, while Aditya Dharap monitored the population over the next few years to confirm the consistency of its characteristics.

Dr I. Darbyshire from Kew Botanic Garden, London, has confirmed the species' novelty, with a recent research paper published in Kew Bulletin journal.

The new species thrives on slopes in the northern Western Ghats' open grasslands exposed to extreme climatic conditions. The species has adapted to survive and bloom two times a year despite these harsh conditions,

While its first flowering phase occurs between post-monsoon (early November) to March or April, the second one takes place in May and June, triggered by fires.

"During this second phase, the woody rootstocks produce dwarf flowering shoots, leading to a more abundant but shorter flowering period," said the Ministry of Science & Technology.

The species' unique adaptation to fire as well as its limited habitat range emphasise the need to carefully manage grassland ecosystems, it said, noting that frequent human-induced fires should be balanced to prevent habitat degradation that may threaten its survival.