New gin berry species

In News

A team of scientists from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) has discovered a new gin berry species from the Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu. 

• The findings have been published in the latest issue of Nordic Journal of Botany, published from Sweden .

About 

• The species, named  Glycosmis albicarpa with a distinct large white fruit.
• It is endemic to the southern Western Ghats. The species belongs to the Orange family, Rutaceae.
• Berries of Glycosmis species have the unique characteristic of ‘gin aroma’ and have gained in popularity as an edible fruit. 
• The species is also a larval host plant for butterflies like other species of Glycosmis
• The flowering, natural regeneration and seedling recruitment of this taxon is found to be fairly good within the locality, while habitat modification causes a major threat to the survival of this species.

• Usage :
  • Many of the related plants of these taxonomic groups are being utilised for their medicinal values and food. 

• Most commonly related species of these plants are collected from the wild, mainly for local use as food and medicine.

Source:TH