Guwahati: A rare, lemon-yellow flowering shrub endemic to Arunachal Pradesh has been rediscovered in the Eastern Himalayas after remaining unseen in the wild for over six decades, triggering fresh conservation concerns.
The plant—Agapetes flava var. flava, a little-known member of the blueberry family (Ericaceae)—was documented during a 2025 botanical expedition in West Kameng district by scientists of the Botanical Survey of India (BSI).
The findings have been reported in the international journal Feddes Repertorium by Krishna Chowlu, Akshath Shenoy and Althaf Ahamed Kabeer of the BSI’s Arunachal Pradesh Regional Centre.
The rediscovery marks the first confirmed collection of the species since 1964, when it was last recorded from the same region. Despite references in older literature, no physical specimens or photographs had been documented for decades, making the new find scientifically significant.
“This collection represents a recollection of Agapetes flava var. flava after a gap of 60 years,” the authors note, underlining how easily rare Himalayan plants can slip out of scientific sight.
A plant lost in records, found in the field
Originally described in the mid-19th century from plants grown at Kew Gardens using seeds collected from Arunachal Pradesh, the species has long suffered from taxonomic confusion and incomplete records. Some earlier accounts even misidentified its origin as Bhutan, while later claims of its presence in China could not be verified due to the absence of herbarium evidence.
During fieldwork near Khupi Model Village in West Kameng, the BSI team encountered the shrub growing along moss-covered rocky slopes at an elevation of about 1,650 metres. Its striking tubular, lemon-yellow flowers immediately stood out, prompting detailed morphological study and confirmation of its identity.
For the first time, the researchers have also provided high-resolution digital photographs of live flowers and dissected floral parts, significantly improving the species’ visual documentation and aiding future identification.
Endangered
Based on field data and geospatial analysis using IUCN-approved tools, the authors have assessed Agapetes flava var. flava as Endangered. The species is currently known from just two locations outside its original type locality, with an estimated area of occupancy of only 12 square kilometres.
Habitat degradation due to human activity, natural calamities and the plant’s potential appeal as an ornamental species pose serious threats. The researchers warn that illegal collection could further endanger its survival if protective measures are not implemented.
Why it matters
Arunachal Pradesh is a global hotspot for plant diversity, hosting a large number of endemic species found nowhere else in the world. The rediscovery of Agapetes flava var. flava highlights both the region’s ecological richness and the urgent need for long-term conservation planning.
The authors stress that sustained field surveys, habitat protection and monitoring are essential to prevent such rare species from quietly disappearing again—this time for good.
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