Neelakurinji becomes a ‘threatened species’

Sub: Environment

Sec: Species in news

Context:

IUCN has officially added Neelakurinji to its list of threatened species.
The latest global assessment confirms its threatened status in the Vulnerable (Criteria A2c) category of the IUCN.
This is the first ever Global Red List assessment for the species.

About Neelakurinji:

Scientific name: Strobilanthes kunthiana
Characteristics:
- Purplish flowering shrub
- Blooms once in 12 years
- Usually grows at an elevation of 1300-2400m.
Spread of the species:
- High-altitude mountain ranges of southwest India.
- There are 33 subpopulations in the Western Ghats and one in the Eastern Ghats (Yercaud, Shevaroy Hills)
- Most subpopulations are in the Nilgiris of Tamil Nadu, followed by Munnar, Palani-Kodaikanal, and Anamalai mountains.
Threats:
- Its fragile habitat in the montane high-altitude grasslands that has been under pressure of conversion for tea and softwood plantations, and urbanisation.
- Almost 40% of the habitat has been lost, the remaining is under pressure from invasion of exotic species such as eucalyptus and black wattle.
- Other threats include infrastructure development, afforestation programmes and climate change
The mass blooming of the flower, once in 12 years, attracts tourists in hordes
The blooming was reported recently, though not in a vast spread, at Peerumade in Idukki.