Extremely Rare Carnivorous Plant Species Found For The First Time In Uttarakhand

A very rare carnivorous plant species called Utricularia Furcellata has been found in Uttarakhand. The plant is usually found in northeast India and it is it's first sighting in western Himalayan region.

Extremely rare carnivorous plant species discovered for the first time in Uttarakhand. What’s The News?

Dehradun: A team of Uttarakhand Forest Department has found an extremally rare carnivorous plant species called Utricularia Furcellata in the western Himalayan region for the first time, a senior official said on Saturday.

What We Know So Far About The Rare Carnivorous Plant Species?

The a team of researchers from Himalayan state’s forest department found the the rare species in the picturesque Mandal valley located in Chamoli district.

According to Chief Conservator of Forest (Research) Sanjiv Chaturvedi, it is the first sighting of the plant not only in Uttarakhand but in the entire western Himalayan region. “It is a proud moment for the Uttarakhand forest department as it is the first discovery by it which has been published in the prestigious journal,” he said.

The discovery by the Uttarakhand forest department team consisting of Range Officer Harish Negi and Junior Research Fellow Manoj Singh has been published in the prestigious ‘Journal of Japanese Botany’, a 106-year-old journal on plant taxonomy and botany which is considered to be one of the finest in the field.

What is Utricularia Furcellata?

Utricularia furcellata is a small annual carnivorous plant that belongs to the genus Utricularia. The pnat with bright violet flowers is native to northeast India and Thailand.

What are carnivorous plants?

Carnivorous plants derive some or most of their nutrients from trapping and consuming animals or protozoans, typically insects and other arthropods. They still generate some of their energy from photosynthesis. These plants grow in places where the soil is thin or poor in nutrients, especially nitrogen, such as acidic bogs and have adapted to take necessary nutrient by feeding on other living organisms.

Recap: A very rare carnivorous plant species called Utricularia Furcellata has been found in Uttarakhand. The plant is usually found in northeast India and it is it’s first sighting in western Himalayan region.