ROOPAK GOSWAMI

Guwahati, March 12: The journey to the rediscovery of a herb after 81 years was not without its twists and turns.

Dipankar Borah of Goalpara College, Assam  who has discovered 14 new species to science has rediscovered a herb Didymocarpus hookeri after 81 years in Meghalaya. He was helped by Rajiv Singh of Botanical Survey of India and it has been published in the Indian Forester journal.

Apart from new species to science, he has has got more than 6 new records to India too.

Journey to rediscovery

“The journey of this rediscovery started in the year 2018, when Nidhan Singh an associate professor of botany at Kurukshetra University visited me in Assam. We trekked in Behali reserve forest at my place then planned for Tawang, but due to landslides the road got blocked and we immediately moved to Meghalaya. There we stayed almost for a week, visited Cherrapunjee in drizzling rains, where we took notice of a plant without flowers, very often in the cracks. Quite confusing it was, unique in its foliage,” Dipankar told NewsFileOnline.

“Then again two years later, Smita Raskar, an orchid lover, visited me, and we again took a trip to Meghalaya. Luckily, it was in bloom at that time, and a look of it was enough for me to determine to be a Gesneriad. Didymocarpus it was. On scrutiny with the types it was confirmed to be D.hookeri, endemic to Meghalaya. I communicated to Rajeev Kumar Singh of Botanical Survey of India and he in communication with all the herbaria’s across the country confirmed it to be a recollection after 81 years” he said.

Rare herb last reported in Meghalaya

The species  was reported last time by N.L. Bor from Cherra road, Meghalaya in 1937.

It was found on rocky crevices on  the way to Cherrapunjee East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya.  The herb grows on sloppy, rocky cliffs in a heavy rainfall area at an altitude of 600-100 metres among ferns.

Features of Didymocarpus hookeri

It flowers from June-October. The leaves are  green-purplish and there are 2-4 pairs on the stem.

There have been a number of  plant rediscoveries from the Northeast in the recent past  which have gladdened the hearts of scientists and the scientific community.