HYDERABAD: A fresh grass species was found from the Nigidi woods of Anantapur district.
The grass species was named following respected botanist Dr PV Prasanna, scientist G, Botanical Survey of India (BSI).
Andhra Pradesh Biodiversity Board researcher Dr Dr Kothareddy Prasad, that found that the new species, stated:”The newest bud species belongs to the genus’Lophopogon’ and rice household.
It’s called Lophopogon prasannae.” Dr Prasanna is a bud taxonomist and mind of workplace, Deccan Regional Centre, BSI.
Lophopogon — also a genus of Indian crops from the bud family — is endemic to arid parts of India like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Tamil Nadu.
It is composed of 2 species just and the newly discovered species would be the next species.
While focusing on bud diversity in the Nigidi woods between 2017 and 2019, Dr Prasad discovered a exceptional bud inhabitants belonging to Lophopogon.
“This population occurs in isolation in the other species of their genus.
Efforts were made to recognize the accumulated material and realised it had been an undescribed bud,” he explained.
He explained Lophopogon prasannae is deemed endemic to the Nigidi woods.
Lophopogon prasannae was evaluated as’critically endangered’ in line with the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s’red list’ standards.
Dr Prasad said four distinct species also have been found from the Nigidi forest lately.
But he voiced concern on disturbance caused by the woods.
“The Nigidi woods is interrupted as a result of anthropogenic activities like man-made woods fires, grazing and tourism.
It requires powerful conservation,” he added.