Researchers at Vidyasagar University in Midnapore have identified a new plant species in the Ajodhya Hills and have named it in honour of the social reformer after whom their institution is named: Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.

The discovery was published in a recent edition of the international journal Phytotaxa.

“We found this plant about a year ago in Purulia’s Ajodhya Hills and began researching it. When we realised it had never been documented, we applied to the New
Zealand-based Phytotaxa, which is the top journal to announce new species,”
said Amal Kumar Mondal, head of the department of botany and forestry, plant taxonomy, and molecular taxonomy laboratory, Vidyasagar University.

The plant has been named Solenostoma (subg. Plectocolea) vidyasagariensis.

Amal Kumar Mondal, head of the department of botany and forestry, plant taxonomy and molecular taxonomy laboratory, Vidyasagar University (standing), and research scholar Sk. Rasidul Islam at Ajodhya Hills

The finding is collaboratively attributed to him, research scholar Sk. Rasidul Islam, and Devendra Singh, who serves as the joint director and head of the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden.

“We had to refer to holotypes (a physical specimen of a species submitted by the discoverer) at the Botanic Garden and study the plant under electron microscopes at IIT Kharagpur to satisfy the panel at Phytotaxa,” said Mondal. “We also had to justify naming it after Vidyasagar.”

The species being referred to is a diminutive bryophyte whose leaves are roughly 1mm in width.

“Bryophytes are considered the amphibians of the plant kingdom. The first plant species to arise on Earth were algae that lived in water. Bryophytes came into existence afterward. They flourish on land but still depend on water for reproduction, whether in the form of rain or dew,” said Mondal.

The discovery could have implications for human health.

“It is a very tiny plant neglected by people, but we have found that it is resistant to both viruses and fungi. Thus, it may assist in the development of human medicines,” Mondal said.

Most botanists who discover plants name them after themselves, say the scientists, but this team chose to honour the iconic educationist.

“A botanist considers his life worthwhile if he gets to discover a species, but instead of naming it after ourselves, we thought of a statesman who our university is named after,” said Mondal, who also happens to be a former student of Suri Vidyasagar College in Birbhum.

“Even today, there are more unknown plants in the world than known ones. If we discover another plant, we shall name it after Rabindranath Tagore,” he added.