In News:

Botanists from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Eastern Regional Centre, Shillong, have discovered a new species of ginger lily, Hedychium zubeengargianum, in Shillong, Meghalaya.

About Hedychium zubeengargianum

• Hedychium zubeengargianum is a newly identified species of ginger lily (genus Hedychium), named in honour of Meghalaya-born Assamese music legend Zubeen Garg.
• The species was identified after years of studying an unusual plant growing in the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Eastern Regional Centre, Shillong. Although the plant had been cultivated in the institute's botanical garden since at least 2018, its original source could not be traced due to the absence of collection records.

Key Features

Popularly known as ginger lilies, species of the genus Hedychium are among the most attractive flowering plants of Northeast India.

Hedychium zubeengargianum is distinguished from its closest relative, Hedychium gracile, by several unique characteristics:

• Creamy-white, fragrant flowers
• Yellow anthers
• Densely hairy flowering stalk
• Earlier flowering season (April–May)

Distribution

India is home to about 41 taxa of Hedychium, with the majority occurring in the biodiversity-rich regions of Northeast India and the Western Ghats.

The discovery highlights the rich floral diversity of the Northeast and the importance of continued botanical exploration in the region.