Why in News: Researchers from the Society for Education and Environmental Development (SEED) and CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (NEIST) have rediscovered Vaccinium piliferum — a wild blueberry relative — in Vijoynagar, Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh, near tributaries of the Noa-Dihing River, 188 years after its first recording in 1836. Only 16 individual plants have been located. The research was published in a German botanical journal in May 2026.
The rediscovery underscores Arunachal Pradesh’s status as a “lost-and-found” frontier of botanical exploration, where remote terrain, dense forest cover and limited road access continue to conceal species long thought extinct.
About the Species — Vaccinium piliferum
The plant is a member of the heath family and a close relative of the cultivated blueberry. Its rediscovery widens India’s known genetic pool of wild crop relatives, which are vital reservoirs for breeding climate-resilient food crops.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Vaccinium piliferum |
| Family | Ericaceae (heath family) |
| Genus | Vaccinium (~450 species) |
| Common relatives | Blueberry, cranberry, bilberry, lingonberry |
| First recorded | 1836 by William Griffith |
| Rediscovered | 2026 (after 188 years) |
| IUCN status | Endangered |
| Distribution | Eastern Himalayan endemic |
| Plants found | 16 individuals |
About Family Ericaceae
Ericaceae is a globally important family of flowering plants that includes blueberries, cranberries, rhododendrons and heathers. Members are typically indicators of acidic, well-drained soils.
- Rhododendron is the national flower of Sikkim and the state flower of Himachal Pradesh.
- Many Ericaceae species form symbiotic associations with mycorrhizal fungi, allowing growth on nutrient-poor soils.
About the Rediscovery Site
Vijoynagar — Changlang District
- An extremely remote settlement in Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh.
- Accessible mainly by helicopter from Miao; a foot trek of ~157 km from the nearest road is the only alternative.
- Located near Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve.
- The Noa-Dihing River flows in the area — a tributary of the Lohit, which joins the Brahmaputra.
Namdapha National Park
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Notified | 1983 (National Park and Tiger Reserve) |
| Location | Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh |
| Area | 1,985 km² |
| Rank | 3rd largest National Park in India; easternmost tiger reserve |
| Big cats | Only park in the world with all four — tiger, leopard, snow leopard, clouded leopard |
| Notable fauna | Hoolock gibbon, red panda, Mishmi takin, slow loris |
| Indigenous community | Lisu (also called Yobin) |
Eastern Himalayan Biodiversity Hotspot
Arunachal Pradesh lies in the Himalaya biodiversity hotspot, one of 36 global biodiversity hotspots identified by Conservation International. The state is part of the broader Hindu Kush–Himalaya (HKH) region.
- State area: ~83,743 km²; forest cover ~80%.
- Renowned for orchid, amphibian and mammal diversity.
- A frequent source of new species descriptions and rediscoveries.
Significance of the Rediscovery
Wild relatives of cultivated crops are central to global food security because they carry traits — drought tolerance, pest resistance, cold hardiness — that domesticated crops have lost.
- CGRFA — Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, under FAO.
- ITPGRFA — International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, 2001; India ratified in 2002.
- Aligns with Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) Target 9 — sustainable use of biodiversity for human well-being.
India’s Biodiversity Framework
| Instrument | Detail |
|---|---|
| Biological Diversity Act | 2002 (amended 2023) |
| Apex body | National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), Chennai |
| Wildlife (Protection) Act | 1972 (amended 2022) — Schedules I/II/III |
| NBAP | National Biodiversity Action Plan 2024–2030 (submitted at CBD COP-16, Cali, October–November 2024) |
| Megadiverse status | 1 of 17 megadiverse countries |
| Hotspots in India | 4 — Himalaya, Indo-Burma, Western Ghats–Sri Lanka, Sundaland |
Way Forward
- Community-led conservation with Vijoynagar’s Lisu/Yobin community as primary stakeholders.
- Strengthen Botanical Survey of India (BSI) field documentation in border districts of the Northeast.
- Ex situ conservation through the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR, ICAR).
- Backup deposits at international gene banks such as the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.
UPSC Relevance
- GS Paper 3 — Conservation, environmental biodiversity, biotechnology and food security through wild crop relatives.
- GS Paper 1 — Geography of mountain ecosystems and the Eastern Himalayan region.
- Prelims — Vaccinium piliferum, Namdapha NP, Noa-Dihing, ITPGRFA, biodiversity hotspots in India.
- Mains — Role of wild crop relatives in climate-resilient agriculture; community participation in conservation in border districts.
Facts Corner
- Vaccinium piliferum: Family Ericaceae; genus Vaccinium (~450 species).
- First recorded 1836 by William Griffith; rediscovered 2026 (after 188 years).
- IUCN status: Endangered.
- Location: Vijoynagar, Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh.
- Research institutions: SEED + CSIR-NEIST (Jorhat).
- 16 individual plants documented.
- Family Ericaceae includes blueberry, cranberry, rhododendron.
- Rhododendron — national flower of Sikkim; state flower of Himachal Pradesh.
- Namdapha NP: 1,985 km²; 3rd largest NP in India; easternmost tiger reserve; notified 1983.
- Namdapha — only park in the world with all 4 big cats (tiger, leopard, snow leopard, clouded leopard).
- Noa-Dihing River: tributary of Lohit → Brahmaputra.
- Arunachal Pradesh: ~83,743 km²; ~80% forest cover.
- India hosts 4 biodiversity hotspots (Himalaya, Indo-Burma, Western Ghats–Sri Lanka, Sundaland).
- ITPGRFA: 2001; India ratified 2002.
- BSI (Botanical Survey of India): HQ Kolkata; established 1890.
Sources: MoEFCC, BSI, CSIR-NEIST
Source: Vaccinium piliferum Rediscovered in Arunachal Pradesh after 188 Years — Ujiyari.com | Free UPSC & State PCS Current Affairs
