Archive · 29 Jul 2026
Rare Purple Himalayan Flower Rediscovered in India After 158 Years
Scientists have found a rare purple-blue flower called Cyananthus hookeri in India after it was missing from records for 158 years.
This flower was first seen in India in 1867 but then disappeared.
Recently, researchers from the Botanical Survey of India found it growing on high mountain slopes in Arunachal Pradesh.
This discovery is important because it helps scientists learn more about the plants in the Himalayas and shows that there are still many plants to discover in these mountains.
The flower is small and delicate, and scientists will watch it closely to make sure it stays safe.
Cyananthus hookeri, a rare Himalayan flowering plant, was rediscovered in Arunachal Pradesh after 158 years.
The plant was first recorded in India in 1867 by Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker.
Scientists from the Botanical Survey of India found the plant in Chuna Valley, Tawang district.
The discovery was published in the international conservation journal Oryx.
The plant grows on alpine grassy and rocky slopes at an elevation of around 3,600 meters.
- Who
- Scientists from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI)
- What
- Rediscovered the rare Himalayan flowering plant Cyananthus hookeri
- When
- 2026
- Where
- Chuna Valley, Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh
- Why
- To update botanical records and understand Himalayan plant diversity
Conservationists
Developers
Habitat Protection
Conservationists
Conservationists advocate for protecting the fragile alpine habitat where Cyananthus hookeri was found to ensure the survival of the species and other biodiversity.
Developers
Developers may argue that the land could be used for infrastructure or tourism, potentially threatening the habitat.
- Species
- Cyananthus hookeri
- Family
- Campanulaceae (bellflower)
- First Recorded in India
- 1867
- Rediscovered in India
- 2026
- Location
- Chuna Valley, Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh
- Elevation
- 3,600 meters above sea level
- Researchers
- Sudhansu Sekhar Dash, Subhajit Lahiri, Monalisa Das
- Journal
- Oryx