In a significant botanical breakthrough from India’s Northeast, scientists have identified a new species of wild kiwi in Arunachal Pradesh, reinforcing the Eastern Himalaya’s reputation as one of the world’s richest biodiversity hotspots.
The species, named Actinidia indica, has been described by researchers Rohan Maity and Umeshkumar L. Tiwari of the Botanical Survey of India’s Central National Herbarium, along with Sudhansu Sekhar Dash of the organisation’s headquarters in Kolkata.
The discovery was made during fieldwork in 2022 in the Lower Subansiri district, where the team encountered a distinct population of wild kiwi growing along forested slopes. Subsequent detailed morphological studies and comparisons with known species confirmed that the plant was previously undocumented.
While kiwi fruit is globally associated with New Zealand, its wild relatives belong to the genus Actinidia, native to Asia. India hosts only a handful of such species, making this addition particularly noteworthy.
According to the researchers, Actinidia indica stands out for its large, showy flowers measuring 4–6 cm across, rounded and slightly hairy fruits, and a uniquely patterned fruit surface marked by linear, spindle-shaped lenticels arranged in a net-like formation. These characteristics clearly distinguish it from closely related species such as Actinidia fulvicoma.
The species has so far been recorded only from a narrow stretch near Ziro Valley at an elevation of around 1,725 metres, where it thrives in a biologically rich transition zone between temperate and subtropical forests.
The habitat, which includes species such as figs, magnolia, and chestnut, provides the shaded and structured environment required for the climbing shrub to grow.
Despite the excitement surrounding the discovery, scientists caution that the species’ limited known distribution raises concerns. Currently classified as “Data Deficient”, Actinidia indica lacks sufficient population data to assess its risk of extinction.
The researchers have called for more extensive field surveys across Arunachal Pradesh to determine its range and conservation status.
Beyond taxonomy, the discovery highlights the immense and still largely unexplored biodiversity of Northeast India. It also points to the potential value of wild kiwi species as genetic resources for cultivated varieties.
As Maity, Tiwari, and Dash note through their work, the forests of Arunachal Pradesh continue to yield new species—underscoring both their ecological importance and the urgent need for their conservation.
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