Botanists discovered 23 new balsams species in eastern Himalayas

  • According to the book published by the Botanical Survey of India, between 2010 and 2019, botanists and taxonomists working on Impatiens — a group of plants commonly known as Balsams or jewel-weeds — discovered 23 new species from the eastern Himalayas.
  • Newly discovered species consist of both annual and perennial herbs.
  • The book presents 83 species, one variety, one naturalised species and two cultivated species of Balsams.
  • Of the 83 species described, 45 are from Arunachal Pradesh, 24 from Sikkim and 16 species common to both states.

About Balsams

  • Balsams are succulent plants with high endemism.
  • Because of their bright beautiful flowers, these group of plants are of prized horticultural significance.
  • There are about 230 species of Balsams found in India and majority of them are found in the eastern Himalayas and Western Ghats.
  • As per the scientists, in lower Dibang valley in Arunachal Pradesh, at least six Balsam species are confined. These are:
    • I. adamowskiana,
    • I. debalgensis,
    • I. albopetala,
    • I. ashihoi,
    • I. idumishmiensis,
    • I. rugosipetala)
    • Some species of Balsams highlighted in the publication such as (I. lohitensis, I. pathakiana, I. pseudolaevigata, I. siangensis, I. xanthina) have high horticulture due to presence of big showy flowers.
  • Most of the species of Impatiens cannot endure persistent drought or extended exposure to direct sunlight. As a result Impatiens species are typically confined to stream margins, moist roadsides, waterside boulders, near waterfalls and wet forests

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