State PCS - Odisha (OPSC)

• 03 Feb 2026

New Flowering Plant Hoya nagaensis Discovered in Nagaland

Why in News? 

Researchers from Nagaland University have discovered a new species of flowering plant in the high‑altitude of Nagaland. 

Key Points 

• Scientific name: Hoya nagaensis  
  • Documented during systematic botanical surveys in under‑explored forests. 
• Discovery: Kavünhou Community Reserved Forest, Phek district, Nagaland. 
  • The discovery underscores the importance of community‑protected forests in preserving rare and endemic species, as these forests remain largely untouched and biologically rich. 
• IUCN Status: Critically Endangered. 
• Biodiversity Hotspot: Nagaland’s high‑altitude forests are part of the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot. 
• Research Significance: The discovery contributes valuable data to India’s botanical records and global plant science, encouraging further ecological and conservation studies in the region. 

Read More: IUCN ,  Shifting cultivation, Biodiversity Hotspot