In a significant boost to India’s botanical record, researchers from Nagaland University have discovered a previously unknown species of flowering plant in a community-protected forest in Nagaland. The discovery highlights both the region’s rich biodiversity and the crucial role local communities play in conserving fragile ecosystems.
New species named Hoya nagaensis after Nagaland
The newly identified plant has been named Hoya nagaensis and belongs to the Hoya genus, commonly known as the wax plant family. The species was found during systematic botanical surveys in the Kavunhou Community Reserved Forest in Phek district, around 110 kilometres from Kohima.
Researchers say the plant produces distinctive star-shaped, waxy flowers and releases a milk-like latex, a defining feature of species from the Apocynaceae or milkweed family. The forest where it was discovered lies in a temperate, high-altitude zone that remains largely unexplored by scientists.
Discovery led by Nagaland University researchers
The research was led by Dr Gyati Yam, Assistant Professor in the Department of Forestry at Nagaland University, along with researchers Vieneite-o Koza and Joynath Pegu. The study was supported by the university’s Start-Up Project for Young Faculty and has been published in the internationally recognised journal kew Bulletin published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in the United Kingdom.
Dr Yam said the finding demonstrates how much of Nagaland’s forest biodiversity remains undocumented. He noted that the research focused on identifying plant species unknown to science while also examining how community-reserved forests contribute to long-term ecological protection.
Critically endangered due to limited distribution
According to the researchers Hoya nagaensis is currently known from only a single location, making it extremely vulnerable. Owing to its restricted distribution and threats such as shifting cultivation and forest disturbance, the species has been provisionally assessed as Critically Endangered.
Vieneite-o Koza said the plant’s distinct leaf structure and floral characteristics clearly separate it from other known Hoya species. The discovery, she added, underlines the importance of community-managed forests in protecting rare and endemic species.
Joynath Pegu highlighted that traditional forest stewardship practiced by local Naga communities has helped preserve habitats that might otherwise have been degraded or lost. Despite mounting pressures on forest land, such areas continue to act as safe havens for biodiversity, he said.
Find reinforces Nagaland’s biodiversity significance
India is home to nearly 20,000 flowering plant species and is considered one of the world’s major biodiversity hotspots. Scientists say the discovery of Hoya nagaensis strengthens India’s botanical records and provides a foundation for future research into conservation, ecology and potential applications of the species.
As habitat loss and climate pressures intensify, researchers stress that protecting community-reserved forests will be essential to ensure that rare discoveries like Hoya nagaensis are not lost before they can be fully understood.