📷 Image: The Hindu (via NewsData)
Science
Rare Haplothismia exannulata plant headlines Kerala's Parambikulam Wildlife Week
✍️ The Hindu
🗓 05 Oct 2026, 07:47 AM
👁 15
A plant once thought extinct, Haplothismia exannulata, has been spotlighted in the Wildlife Week exhibition at Parambikulam, Kerala, after its rediscovery 26 years ago.
The Kerala Forest Department has named its Wildlife Week exhibition after Haplothismia exannulata, a diminutive plant that vanished from scientific records for more than a century. The species was rediscovered in the Parambikulam forest 26 years ago, reviving interest among botanists and conservationists.
The exhibition, held at the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, showcases the plant’s unique morphology and the story of its disappearance and re‑appearance. Organisers hope the display will raise awareness about the fragility of lesser‑known flora and the importance of protecting their habitats.
Officials highlighted that the plant’s survival underscores the need for continued field surveys in remote forest areas. The event forms part of a broader effort to promote biodiversity education during the week-long celebration of Kerala’s wildlife heritage.
Visitors to the reserve can view live specimens, photographs, and informational panels that detail the plant’s ecological role and the challenges it faces from habitat loss and climate change.
The initiative reflects Kerala’s commitment to integrating scientific research with public outreach, aiming to inspire both locals and tourists to support conservation measures for rare species like Haplothismia exannulata.
The exhibition, held at the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, showcases the plant’s unique morphology and the story of its disappearance and re‑appearance. Organisers hope the display will raise awareness about the fragility of lesser‑known flora and the importance of protecting their habitats.
Officials highlighted that the plant’s survival underscores the need for continued field surveys in remote forest areas. The event forms part of a broader effort to promote biodiversity education during the week-long celebration of Kerala’s wildlife heritage.
Visitors to the reserve can view live specimens, photographs, and informational panels that detail the plant’s ecological role and the challenges it faces from habitat loss and climate change.
The initiative reflects Kerala’s commitment to integrating scientific research with public outreach, aiming to inspire both locals and tourists to support conservation measures for rare species like Haplothismia exannulata.