New flowering plant species found in Arunachal Pradesh, named after Yobin tribe
Botanists have discovered a flowering plant new to science in Arunachal Pradesh’s Vijaynagar forests. The species, Disporum yobinorum, is named after the Yobin,
In a remote area of Arunachal Pradesh near the Myanmar border, botanists have identified a flowering plant that was not known to science before. The researchers say the new species was found in the forests of Vijaynagar in Changlang district.
The plant has been given the scientific name Disporum yobinorum. A formal description of the species has been published in the international journal Phytotaxa, based on research by scientists from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) in Arunachal Pradesh.
Discovered in moist, shaded evergreen forest
According to the study, the species is currently known from only one location. The team recorded fewer than 40 individual plants so far, and they recommend that the species be assessed as Data Deficient under IUCN criteria until more field surveys are completed.
The researchers reported that the plant grows in moist, shaded evergreen forests. They say it is found alongside streams, in habitats with rich native vegetation, at elevations of 1,100–1,500 metres.
Named in honour of the Yobin community
The species name “yobinorum” honours the indigenous Yobin tribe, which lives in the region. The Yobin are also known as the Lisu in parts of Myanmar and China, and the community is described as one of the smaller indigenous groups in Arunachal Pradesh.
The study notes that most Yobin families live in the Vijaynagar Circle of Changlang district, a frontier area bordered by Myanmar on three sides and by Namdapha National Park on the fourth. Researchers also recorded support from local community members, including the Gorkha community, and from the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department during fieldwork.
The botanists say Vijaynagar is one of India’s least disturbed forest landscapes. They add that the region lies within the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot and shares ecological links with forests across northeastern India, northern Myanmar, and southwestern China. They urged that any future infrastructure development and land-use changes in the area should be planned carefully to protect this botanical heritage.
