NEW SPECIES IN KMTR (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

New Plant Species

• About: The species is named 'Impatiens Karuppusamyi' in honor of S. Karuppusamy for his significant contributions to the taxonomy of South Indian angiosperms.
• Habitat: The plant is exclusively found in the Agasthyamalai region within the southern Western Ghats.
• Seasonal Appearance: Belonging to the scapigerous group, the plant, devoid of stems, emerges only during the monsoon season, gracing the surroundings for a brief period.
• Genus Diversity: Over 1,000 species of flowering plants, exhibit a wide distribution across tropical Africa, Madagascar, India, Sri Lanka, and China.

Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

• Location: Southern Western Ghats, in the Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu.
• Composition: Comprising three main sanctuaries—Kalakkad Sanctuary, Mundanthurai Sanctuary, and a segment of Kanyakumari Sanctuary.
• Agastya Malai Hill Range: Nestled between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, it forms the core area of the sanctuary and represents one of the world's 18 biodiversity hotspots.
• River Sanctuary: Known as the “River Sanctuary," with a notable distinction of being the source of 14 rivers within this Tiger Reserve.
• Flora: Dry thorn forest to dry deciduous, moist deciduous, and features a patch of West Coast wet evergreen forests on the higher reaches.
• Fauna: Lion-tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Tahr, Nilgiri Pipit, Grey Headed Bulbul, Blue Winged Parakeet, and more.