Context

A new plant has been discovered in Ponmudi Hills, Kerala which is part of the Western Ghats, one of the eight hotspots of biological diversity in the world.

About

About the newly discovered plant species

• The plant is named as Symplocos Mohananii.
• It carries white flowers that usually bloom in night. The tree is very endemic in nature.
• It looks like other plants of the genus Symplocos.
• The plant was spotted from a hill which was about 3000 feet above sea level.
• Plants of this family are commonly known as sweet leaf plants locally.

Medicinal values

• Symplocos Mohananii has some medicinal properties
• Bark of a few species is also used to treat skin diseases by tribals and also for dye-making. 

Western Ghats

• The Western Ghats, also called the Sahyadri, are a north-south chain of mountains or hills that mark the western edge of the Deccan plateau region.
• Rich in endemic flora and fauna, the Unesco heritage site Western Ghats stretches from Gujarat to Kerala, which plays an important role in the climatic condition of the country.
• They periodically discover new plants, frogs, reptiles and other species in western ghats.