Sign In
Learn bits
Ecology & Environment
Mahesh

05/03/22 22:50 PM IST

New gin berry species discovered in southern Western Ghats

In News 
  • A team of scientists from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) has discovered a new gin berry species from the Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu.
Details 
  • The species, named  Glycosmis albicarpa with a distinct large white fruit, is endemic to the southern Western Ghats.
  • The species belongs to the Orange family, Rutaceae.
  • Berries of Glycosmis species have the unique characteristic of ‘gin aroma’ and has gained in popularity as an edible fruit.
  • The species is also a larval host plant for butterflies like other species of Glycosmis.
  • The species, an evergreen small tree, was found as undergrowth in Tirunelveli semi-evergreen forests at the Panagudi forest section of the wildlife sanctuary as a single population that covers an area of approximately 2 sq.km.
  • The discovery not only re-emphasises the uniqueness and endemism in Western Ghats’ flora but also add to the growing inventory of the region’s flora.

About BSI 
  • Botanical Survey of India (BSI) was founded in the pre-independence era by the East India Company (EIC) in 1890. It is located in Kolkata, West Bengal.
  • Its parent organization is the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.

More Related Current Affairs View All

14 Nov

India’s tea, sugar exports raise sustainability concerns at home

'India is one of the world’s largest agricultural product exporters.' The Indian agricultural export is valued at $53.1 billion in 2022-2023, up from $8.7 billion in 2004-

Read More

14 Nov

Superbugs and the looming public health crisis

'LESS than a hundred years ago, antibiotics ushered in an era that transformed medical care.' It saved millions of lives and accelerated the development and use of complex surge

Read More

13 Nov

Healthy longevity initiative

'The World Bank report proposes a healthy longevity initiative (HLI) which takes a life course approach.' Briefly, healthy longevity entails sharply reducing avoidable death and

Read More

India’s First Ai-Driven Magazine Generator

Generate Your Custom Current Affairs Magazine using our AI in just 3 steps