THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, the hindu, october 6, 2025
A perennial herb spotted during a field exploration in Idukki district’s Wagamon hills has been identified as a new species of the genus Chlorophytum, making it a close relative of the ‘safed musli.’
Researchers have named the new species, which has white flowers in small clusters and slender leaves, Chlorophytum vanapushpam (family Asparagaceae).
The findings of the team from the botany departments of Sanatana Dharma College, Alappuzha; Payyannur College, Kannur; Sir Syed College, Taliparamba; and SNM College, Maliankara, have been highlighted in the latest edition of the journal Phytotaxa. A herb that grows up to 90 cm in height, Chlorophytum vanapushpam has been found clinging to the rocky hills of Wagamon and Neymakkad – parts of the Western Ghats regions of Idukki district – at elevations between 700 m and 2,124 m. Its discovery was quite serendipitous, according to the team. The plant was spotted during a research project on wild edible tubers funded by the Kerala State Biodiversity Board.
“The Western Ghats region is thought to be a centre of origin of the genus Chlorophytum. A total of 18 species have been identified here so far, with many of them exhibiting medicinal properties,” Jose Mathew, Assistant Professor, Sanatana Dharma College, said.
One of these is the Chlorophytum borivilianum, more familiar to Indians as the ‘safed musli,’ a herb widely used in traditional medical preparations and also popular as a leaf vegetable. But unlike its more famous cousin, Chlorophytum vanapushpam lacks tubers. Its seeds are about 4 to 5 mm across. Flowering and fruiting occurs from September to December. The species name vanapushpam is a composite of ‘Vanam’ and ‘Pushpam,’ the Malayalam for forest and flower respectively.
Apart from Dr. Mathew, the team credited with the discovery included C.N. Sunil, and M.G. Sanil Kumar from SNM College; M.K. Ratheesh Narayanan from Payyannur College, and Sidharth S. Nair of Sir Syed College, Taliparamba.
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