What is Crinum andhricum?

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About Crinum andhricum:

It is a new species of flowering plant.
It was recorded from the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh.
The species was named after Andhra Pradesh in recognition of the State where it was first found.
It is part of the Amaryllidaceae family.
It is the latest addition to India’s Crinum species, bringing the total to 16, with several being endemic to India.
Features:
- It has distinct features, including wider, oblanceolate perianth lobes (the outer part of the flower) and a greater number of flowers per cluster, producing between 12 and 38 flowers in each.
- The plant’s pedicelled flowers (with a stalk-like structure) make it unique among species in the region.
- The flowers of Crinum andhricum are waxy white, blooming between April and June.
- Standing on a tall stem that reaches up to 100 cm, the plant is well-suited to dry, rocky crevices in the Eastern Ghats.
- The leaves are large, elliptic, and have smooth, entire margins.
Based on its current limited distribution and environmental threats, the researchers have given Crinum andhricum a preliminary status of ‘Data Deficient’ under the IUCN guidelines.

Q1: What is the Eastern Ghats?

The Eastern Ghats are a discontinuous range of mountains that run in a north-south alignment more or less east of the Deccan plateau and pass through Odisha state in the north and Telangana-Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu state in the south, traversing some parts of Karnataka state, namely, Bellary, Kolar and Chamarajnagar districts. They are older than the Western Ghats, and have a complex geological history related to the assembly and breakup of the ancient supercontinent of Rodinia and the assembly of the Gondwana supercontinent.

News: New species of flower plant blooms in dry, rocky forests of Alluri district