Polygonum genus

06.01.2024

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Recently, a new plant species of Polygonum genus has been discovered on Gol Pahari Island of Pench Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra during a survey.

Important points:

• Floristic survey was conducted during one year in Pench Tiger Reserve, during which 863 plant species belonging to 554 genera and 117 families were reported.
• The survey was conducted with technical support from the Forest Survey of India.

About the discovered plant species:

• A new plant species named Polygonum genus has been discovered on the Round Hill Island of Pench Tiger Reserve.
• This discovered plant is a herb.
• Additionally, six plant species endemic to India have also been found in Pench Tiger Reserve. Which are as follows.
  • Agineta indica, Boerhavia crispa, Habenaria gibsonii var foetida, Iphigenia pallida, Petalidium barlerioides and Barleria gibsonii.

• Of the different species reported during the survey, 294 are herbs, 157 are natural trees, 131 climbers, 131 grasses, 52 shrubs and the remaining are avenue trees and epiphytic plants.
• Of the reported species, 46 species are native to India, while 32 plant species have rare distribution and six plant species are completely endemic to the Indian subcontinent.

About Pench Tiger Reserve:

• It was declared a tiger reserve in 1992.
• Pench Tiger Reserve is one of the major tiger reserves of India.
• It is spread over two states – Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
• It is situated in the southern lower reaches of the Satpura mountain range on the southern border of Madhya Pradesh.
• The part of Pench Tiger Reserve that is in Madhya Pradesh is nestled in the southern slopes of the Satpura range in central India.
• Pench Tiger Reserve also includes Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park, Pench Mowgli Sanctuary and a buffer zone.
• Pench Tiger Reserve takes its name from the Pench River.
• The Pench River which divides the reserve into two almost equal parts and the Totladoh Reservoir built on the Pench River play an important role in enriching and maintaining the wildlife in the tiger reserve.
• Pench Tiger Reserve represents about 5.8 percent of the floral diversity of the entire country, including 45,000 plant species, representing about 7 percent of the world's flora.

Flora and Fauna:

• Pench Tiger Reserve is an excellent habitat for almost all the major flora and fauna species found in Central India including tiger, leopard, sloth bear, Indian Gaur, wild dog, wolf etc.

                                                         Source: The Times of india