Lumami: Researchers from Nagaland University have discovered a new plant species in the high-altitude forests of Nagaland, reinforcing the region’s status as a biodiversity hotspot and highlighting the critical role of community-protected forests in conservation.
The newly identified species, Hoya nagaensis, was discovered during systematic botanical explorations of under-documented forest areas in the state. Large tracts of Nagaland’s forests remain scientifically unexplored, limiting comprehensive biodiversity assessments and conservation planning. The discovery adds valuable data to India’s botanical records and global plant science.
The study was led by Dr Gyati Yam of the Department of Forestry, Nagaland University, along with researchers Ms Vieneite-o Koza and Mr Joynath Pegu. The research was funded by Nagaland University under the Start-Up Project for Young Faculty (SUPYF).
The findings have been published in Kew Bulletin, a peer-reviewed international journal focusing on plant and fungal taxonomy, systematics and global biodiversity.
Congratulating the research team, Prof Jagadish Kumar Patnaik, Vice-Chancellor of Nagaland University, said the discovery underscores the extraordinary biodiversity of Northeast India.
He noted that the findings provide strong evidence that community-protected forests in Nagaland act as vital refuges for rare and endemic plant species, while also strengthening India’s contribution to global conservation science.
Explaining the scope of the research, Dr Gyati Yam said the study focused on exploring high-altitude forests to identify and describe previously unknown plant species, document regional biodiversity, and assess the conservation status of rare and endemic plants.
He added that special emphasis was placed on understanding the role of community-reserved forests in protecting fragile ecosystems.
According to the researchers, Hoya nagaensis is currently known only from a single location in the Kavünhou Community Reserved Forest in Phek district.
Due to its extremely limited distribution and threats such as shifting cultivation and forest disturbance, the species has been provisionally assessed as Critically Endangered.
Ms Vieneite-o Koza said the plant shows distinctive leaf shapes and floral characteristics that clearly differentiate it from other known species in the Hoya genus, while Mr Joynath Pegu highlighted that the discovery reflects the effectiveness of traditional forest stewardship practiced by local Naga communities.
Future research will focus on monitoring the species in the wild, studying its ecology and pollination biology, assessing long-term conservation threats, and exploring nearby forest areas for additional undocumented plant species.
The discovery also draws attention to the Eastern Himalaya’s temperate forest ecosystems as rich sources of botanical novelty, providing baseline data for future botanical and ecological research in the region.
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