COIMBATORE: In a significant contribution to Indian flora, a new endangered plant species has been discovered in Pollachi.

The plant species, Afrohybanthus mahalingamii, named after Dr N Mahalingam, an educationist and philanthropist, adds to the rich biodiversity found near the foothills of Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR).

With this, the total number of Afrohybanthus species recorded in India has reached seven. This new species is a small, prostrate, highly branched herb that produces flowers and fruits from June to December. Its morphology distinguishes the plant from others with its densely hirsute stem, ovate or obovate leaves, and a higher number of seeds per capsule.

The species has been preliminarily assessed as critically endangered (CR) under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) guidelines.

“The formal discovery of Afrohybanthus mahalingamii highlights the floristic richness present even in seemingly common areas like our campus ecosystem and the surrounding areas of Pollachi. However, its immediate classification as critically endangered is a wake-up call. So we must prioritise urgent conservation efforts to protect this valuable and unique natural heritage of Tamil Nadu,” said Dr A. Sarvalingam, an assistant professor in the Department of Botany at NGM College, Pollachi.

He led the research team comprising R Ramasubbu, A Bechu Punnen and C Menaka, along with final year students, in discovering the new species. This small herd, found in agricultural areas, has been published in the international science journal, Phytotaxa.