Dancing Ginger: 3 New Species Discovered in Northeast India

Discovery of New Ginger Species

• Three new ginger species discovered in Mizoram and Meghalaya, India
• Found by researchers Ritu Yadav and Vinita Gowda from IISER Bhopal in 2022
• Species belong to the Globba genus, part of the Zingiberaceae (ginger) family
• Collectively named "dancing girls" ginger species due to their graceful appearance
• Additional species identified in West Bengal, totaling six new Globba species

Characteristics of the New Species

Globba tyrnaensis:

• • Found near Double Decker Living Root Bridge in Meghalaya
  • Grows in forest understory at around 731 meters elevation
  • Attracts various bee species for pollination

Globba janakiae:

• • Named after Dr. E.K. Janaki Ammal, a pioneering Indian botanist
  • Discovered in the same region as G. tyrnaensis
  • Small population with fewer than ten mature individuals recorded

Globba yadaviana:

• • Found along Reiek Tlang Road in Mizoram
  • Named after Rajesh Yadav, father of researcher Ritu Yadav
  • Small population of approximately 30 individuals

Significance and Conservation

• Adds to the biodiversity knowledge of Northeast India
• Highlights the importance of continued exploration in understudied regions
• Globba is the fourth largest genus in the ginger family, with about 136 species
• New species have unique floral features, earning names like "weeping goldsmith" and "white dragon"
• Conservation efforts needed, especially for rare species like G. yadaviana
• Contributes to understanding of the Zingiberaceae family, which includes about 1600 known species
• Many plants in the ginger family have ornamental, spice, or medicinal uses