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New Fern Species Discovered in Eastern Ghats, Tamil Nadu
A team of Indian botanists discovers a rare new fern species in the misty Kolli hills of the Eastern Ghats in Tamil Nadu. Researchers from Government Victoria College and Sri Vyasa NSS College identify the species during scientific expeditions and classify it as ‘Critically Endangered’ due to its extremely small habitat and human encroachment threats.
Pteris madhusoodananii (New Fern Species):
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | The species is observed near the outskirts of the Puliansolai shola forest. |
| Discovery context | The discovery occurs during a taxonomic revision of ferns in southern India. |
| Nomenclature | The specific epithet “madhusoodananii” is chosen to honour Professor Dr P. V. Madhusoodanan, the former Head of the Department of Botany at the University of Calicut. |
| Conservation status | The species has been immediately classified as ‘Critically Endangered’ due to its extremely small habitat and the threat of human encroachment. |
| Distribution | The species is currently known to exist in only 2 small sites covering 8 square kilometres. |
| Protection status of sites | The known areas are not officially protected. |
| Threats | The known areas are threatened by road construction, logging, and conversion of forest into farmland. |
| Family and genus | The species belongs to the Pteris family and is named Pteris madhusoodananii. |
| Key morphological features (macroscopic) | The species comprises stiff, leathery leaves with a lustrous deep green colour, and it features a very prominent lobe at the base of its lower segments. |
| Leaflet arrangement | The species has a unique pinna-pinnule architecture in which smaller leaflets are arranged along the stem. |
| Spore feature (microscopic) | The spores possess a narrow, wavy-edged belt called a cingulum. |