Botanists recently discovered a previously unknown plant species named growing along the sandy shores of the Coromandel Coast.
About Leucas droupadiae:
It is a new species of plant belonging to the mint family (Lamiaceae).
It was discovered along the sandy shores of the Coromandel Coast during a survey of the coastal dunes in the Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu.
It thrives in nutrient-poor, sandy habitats.
What sets Leucas droupadiae apart from its closest relatives is its unique loner growth habit and its striking seeds.
While most similar plants in this family grow as creeping vines or branched bushes with deep taproots, this new species stands upright as a single, unbranched stem, reaching only about 15 centimeters in height.
It anchors itself into the sands using a shallow web of fibrous roots rather than a single thick root.
Most distinctively, the plant produces oblong fruit, known as nutlets that are a golden yellow and covered in irregular dark brown spots.
The scientists have named the plant in honour of Smt. Droupadi Murmu, the 15th President of India.
Because of its limited range, the species has been provisionally labelled as “Data Deficient”.
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