What is Phlogacanthus Sudhansusekharii?

About Phlogacanthus Sudhansusekharii:

• It is a newly discovered plant species which belongs to the family ‘Acanthaceae’ and the ‘Phlogacanthus’ genus.
• It was discovered from the Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Papum Pare district, Arunachal Pradesh.
• The species is named to honor Dr. Sudhansu Sekhar Dash, a scientist at the BSI, for his “significant contribution” to plant and ecological research in the Indian Himalayan region.
• The genus ‘Phlogacanthus’ comprises 13 species in India and is spread over mainly the northeastern and eastern Himalayan states.

Key Facts about Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It is a protected area located in Naharlagun, near the capital city of Arunachal Pradesh.
• It covers an area of 140.30 sq. km. 
• It shares borders with the Pam River in the east, Pachin in the south, Neorochi in the north-east and Chingke stream in the north.
• Flora:
• The forest is a heterogenous mixture of evergreen and semi-evergreen forest types. 
• Apart from valleys and foothills, the entire region is hilly, which has given way to pure patches of bamboo.
• It is also popular for having different species of orchids.
• Fauna:
• It is home to a wide variety of wildlife species, including tigers, leopards, clouded leopards, elephants, barking deer, sambar, and various species of primates such as hoolock gibbons and macaques.
• It is also home to avian species, including hornbills, eagles, and pheasants. 

  About Phlogacanthus Sudhansusekharii:

  • It is a newly discovered plant species which belongs to the family ‘Acanthaceae’ and the ‘Phlogacanthus’ genus.
  • It was discovered from the Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Papum Pare district, Arunachal Pradesh.
  • The species is named to honor Dr. Sudhansu Sekhar Dash, a scientist at the BSI, for his “significant contribution” to plant and ecological research in the Indian Himalayan region.
  • The genus ‘Phlogacanthus’ comprises 13 species in India and is spread over mainly the northeastern and eastern Himalayan states.

  Key Facts about Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary:

  • It is a protected area located in Naharlagun, near the capital city of Arunachal Pradesh.
  • It covers an area of 140.30 sq. km. 
  • It shares borders with the Pam River in the east, Pachin in the south, Neorochi in the north-east and Chingke stream in the north.
  • Flora:
    • The forest is a heterogenous mixture of evergreen and semi-evergreen forest types. 
    • Apart from valleys and foothills, the entire region is hilly, which has given way to pure patches of bamboo.
    • It is also popular for having different species of orchids.
  • Fauna:
    • It is home to a wide variety of wildlife species, including tigers, leopards, clouded leopards, elephants, barking deer, sambar, and various species of primates such as hoolock gibbons and macaques.
    • It is also home to avian species, including hornbills, eagles, and pheasants.