Gandhinagar: A biodiversity survey in Gujarat’s Chhota Udepur district has led researchers to identify and describe a new white-flowered variety of the herb Rungia repens, adding a new botanical record to the state’s documented plant diversity.
The variety has been named Rungia repens var. alba, with “alba” referring to its white flowers. Researchers from the Gujarat Ecological Education and Research Foundation (GEER Foundation) recorded the plant near Khapariya village in the Narmada Canal Command Area.
“The finding was made during a biodiversity study in the Narmada Canal Command Area near Khapariya village in Chhota Udepur district. I congratulate the researchers of the GEER Foundation on this discovery of the new plant variety,” said Gujarat Minister for Forests and Environment Arjun Modhwadia.
The discovery was made during a biodiversity study examining the environmental and ecological impact of the Narmada Canal System in parts of Central and South Gujarat. The project received financial support from Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited.
What makes the new variety distinctive?
The newly described variety differs from the commonly observed form of Rungia repens mainly in its floral characteristics.
Read Also: Visavadar Traffic Relief Gets Green Light as Gujarat Approves ₹20 Crore Bypass
- The new variety has pure white flowers, unlike the bluish-purple flowers generally associated with the typical form.
- It has medium-sized flower spikes and comparatively smaller bracts with greenish-white pointed tips.
- Researchers described the plant as an erect or diffuse herb around 8–10 cm tall.
- It was recorded growing in a marshy habitat with rocky substratum near a water rivulet.
- Flowering was observed between February and April, followed by fruiting from May to June.
The Botanical Survey of India lists Rungia repens under the Acanthaceae family, while botanical references describe it as an erect or sub-erect herb.
How researchers established the new variety
The researchers examined the plant’s morphological characteristics and compared the specimens with existing material of Rungia repens. The study also involved comparison with specimens preserved in the Kew, JCB and CAL herbaria.
Three mature individuals of the white-flowered form were recorded during the survey. A specimen was collected, dried and mounted as a herbarium specimen, with the voucher deposited at the GEER Foundation Herbarium.
The type specimen was collected on November 14, 2025, from Khapariya village at an elevation of around 113 metres.
Researchers said the combination of morphological differences and herbarium comparisons supported recognition of the plant as a distinct variety.
Why the discovery matters
The finding highlights the importance of systematic biodiversity surveys in documenting variations within plant species, particularly in landscapes undergoing ecological changes.
Rungia repens is already documented in India and belongs to the Acanthaceae family. The Botanical Survey of India also lists the species in its medicinal plant database.
For Gujarat, discoveries such as this add to the scientific documentation of its flora and provide reference material for future botanical and ecological research.
GEER Foundation herbarium expands botanical records
The GEER Foundation maintains a herbarium containing plant specimens collected across Gujarat. According to the foundation, its collection includes terrestrial flora such as trees, shrubs, climbers, herbs and grasses, along with aquatic plants and mangrove specimens.
The foundation’s herbarium has also been assigned the acronym GEERFH by the Index Herbariorum, a global registry of herbaria maintained by The New York Botanical Garden.
The research team involved in the discovery included Rajkumar Yadav, Naman Nayak, Vinesh Gamit, Amitkumar Nayak (IFS) and B.P. Pati (IFS) of the GEER Foundation.
About GEER Foundation
The Gujarat Ecological Education and Research Foundation (GEER Foundation) is an autonomous organisation established in 1982 under Gujarat’s Forests and Environment Department. It works in areas including ecological research, biodiversity documentation, environmental education and conservation, supporting scientific studies on Gujarat’s flora, fauna and ecosystems.
