About Ophiorrhiza shidiensis and Ophiorrhiza pemae:
- They are two new plant species.
- They were discovered in Arunachal Pradesh’s Changlang district.
- They belong to the Rubiaceae family.
- The Rubiaceae are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the coffee, madder, or bedstraw family.
- Ophiorrhiza shidiensis is an erect, perennial herb that can grow up to one metre tall.
- It has pale green leaves on their undersides and tubular flowers that are white at the base, pale pink in the middle, and rose-pink towards the mouth.
- The species is named after “Shidi”, the traditional name for Gandhigram used by the Lisu (Yobin) community, referring to the locality where it was collected.
- Ophiorrhiza pemae is closely related to Ophiorrhiza himadrica but differs in several morphological characteristics, including its taller growth, larger leaves, distinctive leaf margins, and light pink to purplish flowers.
