What is Crinum andhricum?

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