Rare Himalayan flowering plant Cyananthus hookeri recorded in Arunachal Pradesh after 158 years
A rare Himalayan flowering plant, Cyananthus hookeri, has been recorded in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang district after 158 years, marking its first confirmed sighting in India since it was last documented in Sikkim in 1867.
The species was discovered by scientists from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) during a field survey near Chuna Valley, close to Mago village, at an altitude of around 3,600 metres. The findings have been published in the international conservation journal Oryx.
Belonging to the Campanulaceae (bellflower) family, the purple-blue flowering plant was last recorded in India by British botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker in 1867. The latest discovery is also the first confirmed record of the species in Arunachal Pradesh.
The researchers, who conducted the survey in September 2025, found fewer than 50 mature plants growing on alpine grassy and rocky slopes, underscoring the species' rarity and limited distribution.
Based on the small population size and restricted habitat, the scientists have recommended that Cyananthus hookeri be classified as Endangered in India under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria.
The species is also found in parts of Bhutan, Nepal and China, but remains extremely rare within India.
The study was carried out by BSI scientists Subhajit Lahiri, Monalisa Das and Sudhansu Sekhar Dash.
Welcoming the discovery, Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein described it as a major milestone for India's botanical heritage. He said the rediscovery highlights the state's exceptional biodiversity and reinforces the need to conserve its fragile Himalayan ecosystems.
Part of the globally recognised Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot, Arunachal Pradesh is home to thousands of plant species, many of which are endemic or rare. Officials said the latest finding further strengthens the state's significance for biodiversity conservation and scientific research.
