Stauranthera aureoglossa

Stauranthera aureoglossa Latest News

A team of botanists recently discovered a new plant species with a unique ‘golden tongue’ in the shaded streams of the Himalayas, named Stauranthera aureoglossa.

About Stauranthera aureoglossa

• It is a new plant species.
• It was discovered in the dense, mid-elevation evergreen forests of the Kamle and Upper Subansiri districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
• It is a perennial herb clinging to damp rocks and soil right beside flowing streams and rivulets.
• The plant stands out from its closest relatives with a distinct, bell-shaped, bluish-purple flower. 
• Unlike similar species, its flower lacks a tubular projection called a spur at its base. 
• Instead, it features a raised, bumpy, yellow patch inside the lower lip of its petals. 
• This striking feature inspired its new scientific name, with “aureoglossa” translating to the golden-yellow, tongue-like appendage seen on the flower.
• It has diamond- or spear-shaped leaves. 
• Because their fragile streamside habitats are being actively damaged by logging, landslides, and road-widening projects, the scientists have provisionally classified this rare, golden-tongued herb as an endangered species.

Source: RM

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