About Ophiorrhiza assamensis:
- It is a new species of flowering plant.
- It was found growing in a moist, shaded patch of habitat near Guwahati, Assam.
- It is a perennial herb with large, ribbed leaves and clusters of small white flowers.
- It belongs to the genus Ophiorrhiza, which sits in the Rubiaceae family, the same family that gives us coffee.
- The Ophiorrhiza genus is known as a natural source of camptothecin, a compound used in the development of medicines for cancers, including colon cancer.
- It is currently known only from a highly localised population, making it vulnerable to deforestation and development-related changes in its habitat.
- As the species’ total population remains unknown, the researchers classified it as ‘Data Deficient’ under the IUCN criteria.
