New fragrant ginger lily species named in honour of Assamese singer Zubeen Garg

Assam’s music icon Zubeen Garg has been honoured in a scientific way, with a newly identified species of fragrant ginger lily carrying his name. Botanists confirmed the plant as a species new to science after years of study of an unusual flowering plant growing in the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) botanical garden in Shillong.

Species identified after long study in the BSI garden

The new plant has been named Hedychium zubeengargianum. Researchers from BSI’s Eastern Regional Centre, Shillong, published their findings in the journal Phytotaxonomy. The team said the species was first noticed during routine maintenance of the garden and has been growing there since at least 2018.

According to the study, there were no clear records on where the plant was originally collected. To confirm it as a distinct species, botanists carried out detailed morphological studies over multiple years. So far, the species is known only from the BSI garden in Shillong, and the researchers hope future field surveys will help locate it in the wild.

How it differs from its closest known relative

The researchers compared the new species with its closest relative, Hedychium gracile, and highlighted several features. The new ginger lily is described as having creamy white fragrant flowers and yellow anthers. The flowering stalk is also densely hairy, and the flowering time is noted as earlier, between April and May.

This recognition adds to a growing pattern of taxonomic names linked to Zubeen Garg. The singer’s name had already been used for a butterfly, Euthalia zubeengargi, and another plant species, Osbeckia zubeengargiana. Researchers also stated that the latest naming reflects his cultural contribution to India and his public advocacy for nature conservation. The discovery further points to the biodiversity richness of the Northeast, where botanists continue to describe plants previously unknown to science.