A study published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa has raised concerns about the future of the Rhododendron wattii, a species native to Nagaland and Manipur. The research focuses on a lone Rhododendron wattii tree in the 27 sq km Dzukou Valley, which extends into Manipur.
Imtilila Jing and S.K. Chaturvedi from Nagaland University’s Department of Botany conducted the study. They found that this solitary tree, located 2,600 meters above sea level, is the only known specimen in the area. The only other Rhododendron wattii in the valley, discovered during a 2012-13 survey, was felled by locals for firewood.
The Rhododendron wattii, which grows to a maximum height of 25 feet, was first collected by Sir George Watt in the 1880s from Nagaland’s Japfu Hill range. The tree blooms from February to April, with pink flowers that have darker flecks and purplish blotches.
Despite producing numerous seeds, the study found that natural regeneration is poor, partly due to low seedling survival, human activity, and wildfires. A significant fire in Dzukou Valley during 2020-21 contributed to the decline of the species.
The Rhododendron wattii is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to population fragmentation and its limited distribution. However, Ashiho Asosü Mao, Director of the Botanical Survey of India, has classified the species as critically endangered in its natural habitat. (With inputs from The Hindu)