A Plant Called Utricularia Kamarudeenii
A group of researchers, who found a new species of Utricularia in Kottayam, Kerala, has named the plant as ‘Utricularia Kamarudeenii’ after a botanist, teacher and environmentalist - Dr M Kamarudeen Kunju, who campaigned to save the biodiversity-rich Peringamala in rural Thiruvananthapuram. Utricularia are carnivorous plants popularly called bladderworts.
S. Arya, a PhD student of University College, Thiruvananthapuram, who is working under V.S. Anil Kumar, head, Department of Botany, Government College, Kasaragod, on amaranthus of Kerala, made the discovery during in one of her exploratory surveys in the paddy fields of Kottayam.
“While we were exploring the Kottayam region, accidentally we came across this plant and we found that this plant is something different. Then we made a thorough analysis and arrived at a conclusion that this can perform as a carnivorous species,” Mr Anil Kumar said.
“We named the plant after Dr. Kamarudeen because of his contributions to the systematics – the biological classification of plants,” he said while adding that the team wanted the late botanist-cum-environmentalist to be remembered forever with this.
For naming a plant after a person should be in accordance with certain rules and according to Mr Anil Kumar, Dr Kamarudeen’s life and vision suited all criteria.
The research team also included others like - Vishnu Walsan K of Regional Cancer Centre, and P Biju of Government College, Kasaragod.
Ms. Arya who knew Dr Kamarudeen for the past 7 years and whom she calls an inspiration and driving force behind her interest in plant systematics, says:
“The newly discovered plant was named after late Dr. Kamarudeen Kunju, former Reader in Department of Botany, University of Kerala, Karyavattom, who was a dedicated teacher, an enthusiastic environmentalist and most importantly a very much lovable person. He showed us the relevance of biodiversity and its conservation through his untiring activities.”
“His contribution to plant science being a botany professor and people's scientist is commendable and worth remembering. Though his untimely departure incited unfathomable sorrow to all those who know him, we decided to permanently etch his name on to the plant science by honouring him with aptly naming a newly discovered plant after him , as it would be an inerasable mark in plant science,” she added.
Phytotaxa, an international journal on plant taxonomy, has published the findings in its latest edition.
