New fire-resistant plant species found in India’s Western Ghats

A new plant species, Dicliptera polymorpha, known for its resilience to fire and double flowering pattern, has been identified in the North-Western Ghats by scientists from the Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune. This rare find adds to the biodiversity records of one of India’s most important ecological hotspots. Unlike typical plants, Dicliptera polymorpha exhibits an unusual adaptation; it blooms twice a year, with one phase caused by grassland fires. This unique feature makes it one of the few known Indian species with such adaptive flowering.

Unique fire reaction and growth characteristics

According to the official edition from the Department of Science & Technology, Dicliptera polymorpha, collected from the grasslands of Talegaon-Dabhade by ARI botanists, shows a remarkable response to grassland fires that periodically engulf the region. A research team led by Dr. Mandar Datar, with botanist Adittya Dharap and Ph.D. student Bhushan Shigwan noted that although the plant’s primary flowering occurs after the monsoon, a second, shorter flowering phase is induced by exposure to fire, with dwarf shoots emerging from woody rootstocks. The plant’s adaptation is seen as an evolved survival trait in response to the region’s harsh climatic conditions and human-initiated fires.

Validation and conservation implications

The distinctive inflorescence of Dicliptera polymorpha was confirmed as a new species by Dr. I. Darbyshire from the Kew Botanic Garden, London. The study, recently published in Kew Bulletin, highlights the species’ potential for conservation due to its limited habitat and specialized flowering cycle. Conservation efforts are recommended to sustainably manage human-induced fires to protect the fragile grassland ecosystems that support species like Dicliptera polymorpha, highlighting the ecological importance of the Western Ghats and the need for targeted management to prevent habitat degradation.

In light of this discovery, the researchers emphasize the urgency of conserving the unique biodiversity of the Western Ghats, which remains a source of undiscovered species with adaptive traits.