|
Osbeckia ulotricha in Western Ghats Shola Grasslands
Scientists from the Botanical Survey of India have discovered a new flowering plant in the Western Ghats and name it Osbeckia ulotricha. The plant is discovered in the shola grasslands of the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve in the Western Ghats.
Osbeckia ulotricha and Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Taxonomic family | Osbeckia ulotricha belongs to the Melastomataceae family. |
| Altitude and endemism | Osbeckia ulotricha is endemic to elevations of 1,200–1,500 metres. |
| Morphological characteristics | Osbeckia ulotricha comprises these characteristics: woolly-haired species; leaves clustered at the apex; sub-globose hypanthium; urn-shaped hypanthium with a neck; ovary crowned with true bristles. |
| Flowering and fruiting period | Osbeckia ulotricha flowers and fruits between February and May. |
| Habitat and ecosystems | Osbeckia ulotricha grows mainly in the damp margins of Tropical Montane Wet Temperate Forest (shola) and Montane Temperate Grassland ecosystems. |
| Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve location | Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve is located in the southern part of the Western Ghats in India, spreading across Kerala and Tamil Nadu. |
| Establishment and UNESCO listing | Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve is established in 2001 and has been included in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves in 2016. |
| Vegetation types | Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve consists of vegetation types such as tropical evergreen forests, semi-evergreen forests, moist deciduous forests, montane rainforests, and shola-grassland ecosystems. |
| Rivers originating | Rivers originating from the region comprise Thamirabarani, Neyyar, and Karamana. |
| Protected regions included | The biosphere reserve includes Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary, Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary, Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary, and Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve. |