Why in News?
Actinidia indica is a newly discovered species of wild kiwi found in the Eastern Himalayas of Arunachal Pradesh. It is making headlines as a significant botanical breakthrough that enriches India's documented flora and highlights the unexplored biodiversity of the region.
Key Information
- Biodiversity Addition: Its discovery increases the global count of Actinidia species to 56, with only a few recently known to occur in India.
- Geographical Location: It was recorded exclusively in the Lower Subansiri district, near the Ziro Valley, at an elevation of approximately 1,725 metres.
- Habitat: The plant thrives along forest edges in a biologically rich transition zone between temperate and subtropical forests.
Physical Features
- Growth Form: It is a perennial climbing shrub that grows between 2 to 4 metres in height.
- Stems and Leaves: Characterised by densely hairy young branches and large ovate leaves.
- Flowers: Produces white to creamy flowers measuring 4–6 cm.
Distinct Fruit
- Produces globose, olive-green fruits measuring 2.5–4 cm.
- Unique Feature: A key identifying trait is the reticulate lenticel pattern on the fruit's surface, which distinguishes it from other species in the Actinidia genus.
- Scientific Team: The discovery was led by a team from the Central National Herbarium, including Dr. S.S. Dash, Dr. Umeshkumar L. Tiwari, and Mr. Rohan Maity.
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