Kerala Researchers Identify Rare New Plant Genus, Only The Fifth Such Discovery In India
The study was carried out by botanists of University of Calicut and Guruvayurappan College with financial aid from Centre's Core Research Grant, FIST Scheme.
Published : June 15, 2026 at 7:15 PM IST
Thiruvananthapuram: A team of researchers from Kerala has identified a new genus of bryophyte plant from the forests of northern Kerala, marking a significant addition to India's botanical record.
The newly discovered genus has been named 'Indocolea', derived from India, with the species named 'Indocolea devendrae' in honour of noted bryologist and specialist in the study of non-flowering plants, Dr Devendra Kumar Singh of the Botanical Survey of India (BSI).
The discovery was made during a study on bryophyte diversity conducted in the forests of Kasaragod, Kannur and Kozhikode districts. The plant was first recorded from the forests of Edayilakkad in Kasaragod district and Poyilkavu in Kozhikode district. Researchers have also identified its presence in the Aralam Butterfly Sanctuary in Kannur district.
A unique feature of the newly identified plant is that it grows on the mushroom Phellinus fastuosus, which develops on tree trunks. Further taxonomic studies confirmed that the plant, initially thought to belong to the existing genus Cylindrocolea, possessed distinct characteristics warranting the creation of an entirely new genus. The findings have been published in the June edition of the England-based scientific journal, the 'Journal of Bryology'.
The research team comprised botany research scholars P M Vinisha, O M Sruthi and P P Nishida, along with Dr Manju C Nair of the University of Calicut and Dr K P Rajesh of Guruvayurappan College, Kozhikode.
The study was carried out by the Botany Departments of the University of Calicut and Guruvayurappan College with financial support from the Centre's Department of Science and Technology (DST) through its Core Research Grant and FIST Scheme. Local authorities and forest officials in Edayilakkad and Poyilkavu also extended support for the research.
Rare Discovery in Indian Botany
While new plant species are regularly documented from different parts of India, the discovery of an entirely new genus is considered exceptionally rare, particularly among liverworts, a group within the bryophytes. According to researchers, Indocolea is only the fifth bryophyte genus to be discovered in India.
The first such genus, Aitchisoniella, was discovered in the Western Himalayas in 1914 by renowned botanist Professor Shiv Ram Kashyap. It was followed by Sewardiella in 1915. Nearly a century later, Indopottia was discovered from Silent Valley in Kerala in 2013, while Udaria was reported from Himachal Pradesh in 2018 and later revised as Ramudaria in 2020.
Researchers say the discovery of Indocolea after several years highlights the rich but still under-explored biodiversity of India's forests and underscores the need for continued taxonomic and ecological studies in the region. The finding is expected to contribute significantly to the understanding of bryophyte diversity in the Western Ghats, one of the world's biodiversity hotspots.
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