Portulaca Bharat, Key Features and Conservation Status

Learn about Portulaca Bharat, a drought-resistant ornamental plant variety developed in India, known for its vibrant flowers, climate resilience, and low maintenance needs.

Context: A New flowering plant species (Portulaca bharat) was discovered in the Aravali hills near Jaipur.

About Portulaca Bharat (New Species)

Taxonomy: Belongs to the subgenus Portulaca.
Habitat and Discovery: Found exclusively in the Galtaji Hills of the Aravalli range near Jaipur, Rajasthan.
- Only 10 individual plants have been documented in the wild so far.
Naming Significance: Named Bharat to symbolically honour India’s rich and still-emerging biodiversity.
Conservation Status (IUCN): Provisionally classified as Data Deficient, due to the absence of known populations beyond the discovery site.

Key Features

Leaves: Opposite in arrangement and slightly concave in shape.
Flowers: Pale yellow, gradually turning creamish-white towards the tip.
Unique Traits: Glandular hairs present on stamen filaments; roots are notably thick.

About the Portulaca Genus

Global Distribution
- Comprises approximately 153 species worldwide.
- Commonly found in tropical and subtropical climates.
Ecological Adaptations:
- Succulent in nature with high resilience.
- Possess water-storage tissues and can thrive in extreme and arid environments.
Presence in India: India hosts 11 species of Portulaca, of which 4 are endemic.
- These are mainly found in dry and semi-arid regions across the country.