Leucas droupadiae

Leucas droupadiae Latest News

Botanists recently discovered a previously unknown plant species named growing along the sandy shores of the Coromandel Coast.

About Leucas droupadiae

• It is a new species of plant belonging to the mint family (Lamiaceae).
• It was discovered along the sandy shores of the Coromandel Coast during a survey of the coastal dunes in the Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu. 
• It thrives in nutrient-poor, sandy habitats.  
• What sets Leucas droupadiae apart from its closest relatives is its unique loner growth habit and its striking seeds. 
• While most similar plants in this family grow as creeping vines or branched bushes with deep taproots, this new species stands upright as a single, unbranched stem, reaching only about 15 centimeters in height. 
• It anchors itself into the sands using a shallow web of fibrous roots rather than a single thick root. 
• Most distinctively, the plant produces oblong fruit, known as nutlets, that are a brilliant golden yellow and covered in irregular dark brown spots, a feature not seen in its cousins. 
• The scientists have named the plant in honour of Smt. Droupadi Murmu, the 15th President of India. 
• Because of its limited range, the species has been provisionally labelled as “Data Deficient,” .

News: RM

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