A new species of Aspidistra plant has been discovered in Mokokchung by four researchers, which has been named Aspidistra mokokchungensis. Researchers Dilip Kumar Roy, Rikertre Lytan, David L. Biate, Nripemo Odyuo, Tiatemsu Punatemjen, and Ashiho A. Mao discovered the news species during a field exploration in November 2019 to Mongchen village. The plant is called ‘Pangchalai’ in the Mongchen vernacular.
The discovery was published by the Botanical Survey of India in its bulletin NELUMBO. As per the bulletin, the new species was submitted on February 8, 2022 which was accepted on June 10, 2022 and published on July 31, 2022.
• Researchers Dilip Kumar Roy, Rikertre Lytan, David L. Biate, Nripemo Odyuo, Tiatemsu, Punatemjen, and Ashiho A. Mao discovered a very distinctive Aspidistra plant during a field exploration in November 2019 to Mongchen village of Mokokchung district in the state of Nagaland, northeastern India.
• It is a Lithophytic, evergreen perennial herb with glabrous leaves up to 100 cm tall that flowers from August to November.
• The species is found in the forest of Mongchen village in Mokokchung district, Nagaland, Northeastern India.
• Plants collected from the type locality are currently cultivated in the garden (Asparagaceae section) of the Botanical Survey of India, Eastern Regional Centre, Shillong, Meghalaya (India).
• The specific epithet “mokokchungensis” refers to the district of Mokokchung in the northeastern Indian state of Nagaland, where the new species was discovered.
• The Botanical Survey of India published the new species in its bulletin NELUMBO Vol 64 (1): (01-06) 2022 on 31.07.2022
