DHAKA, Dec 25, 2023 (BSS) - Bangladesh National Herbarium (BNH) has discovered four new plant species and four plant varieties through floristic research since 2009, having very important contribution to the country's flora.
The newly discovered plant species were: Colocasia hassanii, Alocasia hararganjensis, Typhonium elatum and Alocasia salarkhanii, while four varieties were: Rhapidophora calophyllum var. violaceus, Colocasia oresbia var. stolonifera, Typhonium trilobetum var. fulvus and Colocasia fallax var. purpurea, according to an official document attained by BSS.
Bangladesh National Herbarium (BNH), the national research agency for plant taxonomic research and museum of dried plant specimens, found the plant species by conducting field research in different parts of the country.
The research agency recorded 346 plant species for Bangladesh through floristic research since 2009, while it rediscovered 67 plant species, which is a very important achievement for the flora of the country.
Under a project titled 'Survey of Vascular Flora of Chittagong and the Chittagong Hill Tracts (SVFC)' during the period of 2015-18, the national herbarium conducted plant survey and data collection in the most biodiversity-rich regions of the country - Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Khagrachari, Bandarban and Rangamati.
Under the project, 45,146 plant specimens (1,50,000 specimens with duplicates) were collected, identified and processed and preserved in scientific manner by preparing herbarium sheets.
On the other hand, 92 plant species that are new to Bangladesh have been discovered during identification through plant taxonomic research of these collected plant samples.
However, 344 plant species were identified as endangered by analysing data obtained from the project area through field survey.
The book titled 'Vascular Flora of Chattogram and the Chittagong Hill Tracts' was published in three volumes containing pictorial descriptions of 2,916 vascular plants under the project, which is a milestone in the botanical history of this country.
An e-database of information, including pictures of all the plant species, has been prepared too.
The Sustainable Forestry and Livelihood (Sufal) project under Forest Department implemented a project titled 'Developing Bangladesh National Red List of Plants and Developing Management Strategy of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) of Plants in Selected Protected Areas (PA's)' during 2020-2023.
The Red List Assessment of 1,000 vascular plant species of the country's forest ecosystem and development of strategies for control of alien invasive plants in five protected forest areas have been completed under the project with technical assistance of IUCN Bangladesh.
During the assessment, as per the IUCN Red List criteria, eight plant species were declared as extinct, while five as critically endangered, 127 as endangered, 262 as critically endangered, 69 as near threatened and 271 as least concern.
A total of 14 plant species, including seven main invasive plant species, were identified as invasive plant species using the Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT) index criteria and a strategy was developed for their control.
The national herbarium has launched a website titled 'National Red List of Plant' (https://iucnredlist-bd.org/) under the programme.
Currently, the plant research agency is implementing a project titled 'Vascular Plant Species Survey (SVFBS) of Barishal and Sylhet Division' for the period of 2021-2024, involving Taka 16.10 crore.
The project is being implemented in 10 districts - Barishal, Bhola, Patuakhali, Barguna, Pirojpur, Jhalkathi, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Habiganj and Sunamganj.
