Guwahati: In a significant botanical breakthrough, researchers have rediscovered Munronia pinnata—a rare medicinal plant—in Assam after more than a century, marking its first confirmed record from the Brahmaputra Valley.
The finding, reported in a recent study by Barnali Das and Himu Roy and published in Feddes Repertorium, stems from field surveys conducted in the Garbhanga Reserve Forest on the southern fringes of Guwahati.
The species was last collected in Assam in 1915 and had since remained absent from scientific documentation in the region.
Earlier records were limited to the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills—areas that now fall within Meghalaya—making its reappearance in present-day Assam particularly noteworthy.
Researchers encountered the plant during extensive fieldwork carried out between August 2024 and June 2025 while documenting herbaceous flora in the reserve forest. Careful taxonomic analysis confirmed the species’ identity, ending a 111-year gap in its recorded presence in the state.
A small undershrub growing up to about 65 cm tall, Munronia pinnata is distinguished by its light pink flowers and bright red, capsule-like fruits. Beyond its botanical significance, the plant has medicinal value.
It has traditionally been used as a substitute for Swertia species in treating fever and dysentery, and is regarded as a valuable herbal resource in Sri Lanka, where it has been used for skin diseases and leprosy.
However, the rediscovery also raises conservation concerns.
Although globally listed as “Least Concern”, the plant appears to have a highly restricted and fragile presence in Assam. The study notes that it occupies specific ecological niches—typically moist, shaded forest patches, often near roadsides in hilly terrain—making it vulnerable to disturbance.
Threats such as forest fires, grazing pressure, fuelwood collection and habitat degradation could significantly impact its survival in the region.
The study’s visual documentation—including detailed images of the plant’s floral structures and mapping of its current location—underscores both its distinct identity and limited distribution.
The authors have called for targeted surveys across similar habitats in the Brahmaputra Valley to locate additional populations and assess its conservation status at the regional level. They also recommend protecting microhabitats and strengthening awareness among forest personnel and local communities.
The rediscovery of Munronia pinnata serves as a reminder that Assam’s biodiversity—even in relatively well-studied landscapes—continues to hold hidden species, some waiting more than a century to be found again.
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