MYAGDI, NOVEMBER 4
A new species of plant has been found in Moreni, Dhawalagiri Rural Municipality-2 of Myagdi district. Botanist Bhakta Bahadur Raskoti identified the new species of the plant locally known by the name Tiuri. Its botanical name is Impatiens nimspurjae (Impatiens, Balsaminaceae).
Raskoti said that the species' epithet 'nimspurjae' refers to the name of Nirmal Purja for his initiation on conservation through climate change champion. Purja is a world renowned mountaineer from Dana of Annapurna Rural Municipality-3 in Myagdi.
He has dozens of Guinness book world records in the field of mountaineering.
Impatiens nimspurjae is found in the temperate forest and forest margins at an elevation range of 2,800– 2,900 metres. It grows on moist humus rich slopes.
Raskoti had recently released an article along with a 57-page long research report regarding the new species of plant that he discovered on 25 August 2011. He had collected a sample of the plant and send it to the National Herbarium Laboratory for its study and to Tribhuvan University, Department of Herbarium for archiving.
"Since this plant is recorded for the first time in the world, no other detailed studies have been made about it," Raskoti said, adding that it took many years for archiving it as it took long time carrying out its molecular study and other related detailed studies.
According to him, although Impatiens nimspurjae is closely related to I harae, I radiata, I wallichii, it differs from these species by having sessile oblong-lanceolate leaves, flowers less than three in each peduncle, base of the spur flattened, apex of dorsal petal rounded, basal lobe of lateral united petal widely ovate, not truncated.
Raskoti has archived additional five Tiuri plant species for Nepal. Together with the new species of Tiuri, 57 species of Tiuri have been archived in Nepal. Among these species, eight are found only in Nepal.
Impatiens bachicentra, Impatiens infundibularis, Impatiens sikkimensis, Impatiens katakarthi, Impatiens gynae are new species archived for Nepal.
Raskoti, who has completed doctorate degree in botany, is also a collaborative contributor to the 'Arcidacea Group' of the 'Flora of Nepal'.
Although this plant family has two genuses, only Tiuri species is found in Nepal.
Tiuri is planted as garden flower and also used as herbal medicine. Growing in damp places of grassland, the locals apply Tiuri on wounds caused by mud during the rainy season.
A version of this article appears in the print on November 5, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.
