Three new ‘Dancing Girls’ ginger species discovered in Meghalaya, Mizoram

Guwahati, Sept 8: In an exciting addition to the world of botany, researchers have discovered three new varieties of ginger with a distinctive appearance resembling graceful ballerinas.

These newly discovered species, collectively named “dancing girls" ginger species, were found in Mizoram and Meghalaya.

The discovery was made by researchers Ritu Yadav and Vinita Gowda from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Bhopal during their field exploration in Eastern India in 2022.

Their findings include three new varieties, with additional species identified in West Bengal.

The plants belong to the Globba genus, which is famous for its ornamental appeal and delicate flowers. Globba is the fourth largest genus in the ginger family (Zingiberaceae), encompassing approximately 136 species.

The unique names of these species—dancing girls, weeping goldsmith, snowball, Singapore gold, white dragon, and ruby queen—highlight their striking floral features.

The first species, Globba tyrnaensis, was discovered in the Double Decker Living Root Bridge area in Meghalaya. In their research paper, it is stated that at present, the species were seen in the Double Decker Bridge, Tyrna Village and Thangkharang Park, Cherrapunji.

“G. tyrnaensis is terrestrial mostly growing in understory habitats inside forests at an elevation of ca. 731 m. We have observed different species of bees visiting the flowers of this species,” the paper reads.

The second species, Globba Janakiae, was found in the same region and is named in honour of Dr. E.K. Janaki Ammal, a pioneering Indian botanist who broke barriers related to caste, gender, and race.

The third variety, Globba Yadaviana, was discovered along Reiek Tlang Road in Mizoram. This species is named in memory of Rajesh Yadav, Ritu Yadav’s late father, who played a crucial role in her scientific and educational journey.

The research notes that this species are currently known from 4–5 small populations along the road, each consisting of approximately 30 individuals.