Hedyotis Sithiravaraiensis (Karumthumbai or Senthumbai or Sakkaraithumba)

Subject: Environment

Context: Chennai-based botanists have foundNew plant species with possible medicinal properties discovered.

Concept:

It is a critically endangered species majorly due to unregulated commercial collection of the plant by the locals
It is a critically-endangered species of the Rubiaceae family in Pakkamalai in the Gingee Hills (in Eastern Ghats).
Its leaves are collected for the medicinal properties by the locals for they believe it extends the life span of human beings.
Inforescence or flower head resembled species of the Lamiaceae (mint) family.
The plant is closely allied with an Eastern Asiatic species, Hedyotisuncinella and a Western Ghats species, H. rajasekaraniiKarupp&Ravichandran.
The species had been named after its type locality Sithiravarai (Sethavarai), an archaeologically important site, as it has 3,500-year-old rock paintings in natural caverns. “Sithiram” means painting) and “Varai” means hills.