Agartala: Mycetia malayana (Rubiaceae), a rare plant species of the genus Mycetia, has been recorded in India for the first time from Tripura.
The finding was made during a study near Kachari Waterfall in Kanchanpur subdivision of North Tripura. Dixit Bora, a botanist at Tripura University, said that during a recent field visit to the site, he came across two Mycetia species—one of which was entirely unfamiliar to him.
Subsequent scientific analysis by Bora and his co-authors confirmed the specimen as Mycetia malayana, marking its debut in Indian flora.
“This species was earlier reported only from Malaya, Borneo, and Thailand, and is already extinct in Singapore. With this discovery, the total number of Mycetia species in India rises from eight to nine, making a valuable addition to the country’s botanical catalog,” Bora said.
Bora described the discovery as a dream come true, highlighting the thrill of finding a new plant species during field explorations.
He noted that Kachari Waterfall, considered one of Tripura’s most scenic natural spots, had been difficult to access due to connectivity issues, and he had made several failed attempts to reach it since 2023.
“While exploring, I found two Mycetia species on either side of the waterfall—Mycetia longiflora and another that turned out to be entirely new to India,” he added.
After extensive taxonomic study and literature review, the team confirmed the identity of the new specimen as Mycetia malayana, a species also recently recorded in Bangladesh.
“Given that Mycetia is not a common genus in India, it is exciting that M. malayana is now the ninth species recorded in the country,” Bora said.