New Plant Species 'Sonerila Roxburghi' Discovered In Kerala's Western Ghats
The species has been scientifically named Sonerila roxburghii, in honour of renowned botanist William Roxburgh, often regarded as the Father of Indian Botany.
Published : May 16, 2026 at 5:38 PM IST
Thiruvananthapuram: Researchers from the Department of Botany at the University of Calicut and the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) have identified a new species of flowering plant from the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats in Kerala, marking another significant addition to India's biodiversity records.
The newly identified species, belonging to the Sonerila genus of the Melastomataceae (flowering plant) family, was discovered in the Mankulam and Kallar areas of Idukki district at elevations ranging between 1,380 and 1,480 metres above sea level.
The species has been scientifically named Sonerila roxburghii, in honour of renowned botanist William Roxburgh - hailing from Scotland - often regarded as the Father of Indian Botany and one of the earliest scientists to document the Sonerila genus.
The discovery has been formally published in the international peer-reviewed journal Annales Botanici Fennici (Annals Botany), published from Finland.
The discovery was made by a team led by: Dr Santhosh Nampy, former head and senior professor, Department of Botany, University of Calicut; Dr S Resmi, former researcher at Calicut University and currently BSI research associate; Dr K Karthikeyan, BSI scientist; Danny Francis, former researcher at Calicut University and Dr Vishnu Mohan, faculty member at Christ College, Irinjalakuda.
The researchers are widely known for their extensive taxonomic (classification and naming) work on the Sonerila genus across the Western Ghats, particularly in documenting rare, endemic and threatened species.
Distinctive Features
According to the researchers, Sonerila roxburghii can be distinguished by several unique morphological characteristics, including:
- Plant stems growing up to 60cm in height
- Light pink flowers
- Smooth, flattened leaf surfaces gradually tapering towards the stem
- Adaptation to moist, high-altitude rocky habitats
The species belongs to a group of delicate tropical herbs largely confined to the higher reaches of the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot.
Researchers have warned that the newly discovered species is already facing severe ecological threats and has been placed in the Critically Endangered category due to its highly restricted distribution and fragile habitat conditions.
They said uncontrolled construction activities, quarrying and mining in laterite-rich regions, tourism pressure and habitat fragmentation in the Western Ghats are threatening the survival of several endemic plant species.
Continuing Research
The Calicut University research group, particularly Dr Santhosh Nampy and Dr S Resmi, has emerged as one of India’s leading authorities on the Sonerila genus.
Over the years, the team has documented several new species from the Western Ghats, including:
- Sonerila longipedunculata
- Sonerila lateritica
- Sonerila konkanensis
- Sonerila stolonifera
Many of these species are endemic to isolated hill ecosystems and are considered vulnerable or endangered.
Their research focuses on taxonomy, plant morphology (physical form and external features), conservation biology and evolutionary relationships within the Melastomataceae family, while also highlighting the ecological significance of the Western Ghats - one of the world’s eight hottest hotspots of biodiversity.
Botanists say the latest discovery once again underlines the Western Ghats' status as one of the richest centres of plant diversity in the world, even as conservationists continue to raise concerns over accelerating ecological degradation in the region.
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