Guwahati | A rare flowering shrub, Ardisia Colorata, has been rediscovered in Assam's Bongaigaon district after more than two centuries, Forest and Climate Change Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said on Tuesday.
The species was rediscovered in the Abhaypuri area by researchers Manash Baruah and Nilakshee Devi of the Department of Botany, Gauhati University, during botanical surveys conducted across Assam between 2020 and 2025, he said.
The finding has marked the first confirmed recollection of the species from India in approximately 204 years, Baruah said in a post on X.
The researchers examined the plant's flowers, leaves and historical descriptions to distinguish it from a closely related species.
"Their findings, published in the botanical journal Feddes Repertorium, also clarify scientific naming confusion that had persisted for generations," the minister said.
First described by British horticulturist George Loddiges in 1821, Ardisia Colorata had largely disappeared from Indian botanical literature, he added.
"The researchers documented just 12 plants at the Abhaypuri locality, highlighting both the scientific significance of the rediscovery and the importance of protecting its natural habitat. The evergreen shrub grows in shady, humid forest environments and produces pink, reddish or purplish flowers," Baruah said.
He asserted this discovery reminds us that Assam's forests still hold valuable natural treasures waiting to be recognised and understood.
"By supporting botanical research, protecting undisturbed forest habitats and documenting our plant diversity, we can strengthen conservation efforts and safeguard species that might otherwise remain overlooked," Baruah said.
The state's natural heritage is not limited to the wildlife seen every day, even a little-known flowering plant can carry centuries of scientific history and ecological value, he added.
"The rediscovery of Ardisia colorata is a proud moment for Assam's research community and a reminder that every forest holds stories worth preserving for future generations," the minister said.
