Recovery of Globba wengeri (C.E.C. Fisch.) K.J. Williams, critically endangered plant species from Serchhip District in Mizoram, Northeast India

Abstract

Globba wengeri (C.E.C. Fisch.) K.J. Williams, former state flower of Mizoram, a rare and critically endangered plant species, commonly known as ‘dancing girl’, belonging to the family Zingiberaceae, is reported in this communication for the first time from Serchhip District in Mizoram at an elevation of about 1187 m a.s.l. It was found on moist, watery and rocky slopes. The plant is under severe threat in the natural habitat and therefore, further studies are required to determine life history and particular survival threats of this species. Introduction The family Zingiberaceae consists of about 50 genera and a total number of about 1600 known species (1). In India, around 200 species belonging to 20 genera of Zingiberaceae are reported so far (2). The four species of Globba L. such as Globba spathulata Roxb., Globba radicalis Roxb., Globba wengeri (C.E.C. Fisch.) K.J. Williams and Globba wardii (B.L.Burtt & R.M.Sm.) K.J.Williams were found endemic to the hilly areas of North East India and Myanmar (3). In addition, a new species specifically called Globba salarkhanii (M.A. Rahman & Yusuf) Govaerts was described from Bangladesh (4). Globba wengeri (C.E.C. Fisch.) K.J. Williams is a highly fascinating plant species belonging to the family Zingiberaceae and is commonly known as ‘dancing girl’ because the yellow corolla looks like a skirt and the two staminodes resemble the two outstretched arms of a dancing girl (5). It is thought to be a hybrid of G. spathulata Roxb. and G. radicalis Roxb. (3). G. wengeri had been listed in the Red Data Sheet of rare