Open AccessNotes on the extended distribution of Impatiens megamalayana, a recently described balsam in Western Ghats, India
Author(s) -
Anoop P. Balan,
A. J. Robi
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of threatened taxa
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.264
H-Index - 8
eISSN - 0974-7907
pISSN - 0974-7893
DOI - 10.11609/jott.7034.13.12.19878-19883
Subject(s) - balsam , tamil , geography , impatiens , checklist , balsaminaceae , plant species , distribution (mathematics) , genus , forestry , agroforestry , ecology , botany , biology , paleontology , linguistics , philosophy , mathematical analysis , mathematics , cultivar
Impatiens megamalayana is a recently described balsam from the Megamalai hills of the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu state. This is a small, annual herb with ridged stem, often distributed in open, wet, rocky grasslands above 1,000 m elevation. The plant considered endemic to the Megamalai hills of Tamil Nadu is recently located in the Urumbikkara hills of Idukki district in Kerala state, which is about 120 km away from its original locality. Urumbikkara is an emerging tourist destination in central Kerala and the newly located populations of the plant are outside protected forest areas and are facing severe threat due to anthrapogenic activities. A detailed description, photographs and distribution maps are provided to facilitate easy identification of the plant in the field. An updated checklist of the genus Impatiens in Kerala state is also furnished for future reference.