The new species, Disporum yobinorum, was discovered in the forests of Vijaynagar in Changlang district by researchers from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and has been formally described in the latest issue of the international journal Phytotaxa.

The species was described by Vinay Kumar Sahani and Krishna Chowlu of the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Arunachal Pradesh Regional Centre, Itanagar.

Known only from a single location, fewer than 40 individual plants have so far been recorded, prompting researchers to recommend that the species be treated as Data Deficient under IUCN criteria until further surveys are conducted.

The discovery adds to the growing list of unique plants emerging from Vijaynagar, one of India's least disturbed forest landscapes. Nestled along the border with Myanmar's Kachin State, the region shares its geography and flora with the forests of Yunnan in China, making it part of a biologically rich transboundary landscape.

Researchers say the find is another reminder that Arunachal Pradesh's remote frontier forests continue to harbour species unknown to science and require careful conservation as development activities expand.

The species was named yobinorum in honour of the Yobin community, recognising their support for scientific exploration in the region.

The Yobin, also known as the Lisu in Myanmar and China, are one of Arunachal Pradesh's smallest indigenous tribes. Most members of the community live in the remote Vijaynagar Circle of Changlang district, a frontier region bordered by Myanmar on three sides and Namdapha National Park on the fourth.

For decades, the Yobin remained one of India's most isolated communities, with Vijaynagar accessible only by foot or air. Until recently, reaching the nearest town of Miao required a trek of nearly six days through dense forests.

The community has long been known for its intimate knowledge of the forests and mountains of the Eastern Himalaya. Traditionally, the Yobin have depended on hunting, fishing and cultivation, including large cardamom, while maintaining a close relationship with the region's biodiversity.

The researchers also acknowledged the assistance of the local Gorkha community, as well as that of the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department, in facilitating the fieldwork.

According to the study, the plant grows in moist, shaded evergreen forests at elevations of 1,100-1,500 metres, alongside streams in habitats rich in native vegetation.

Scientists say the discovery underscores the conservation significance of Vijaynagar, where the combination of rugged terrain, limited disturbance, and its location within the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot has enabled many rare, endemic and previously undocumented species to survive.

The researchers said future infrastructure development and land-use changes in the region should be planned carefully to ensure that this exceptional botanical heritage is not be compromised, as the forests form part of a larger ecological continuum stretching across northeastern India, northern Myanmar and southwestern China.

Note: There is one likely grammatical error remaining in the final sentence as written: "should be planned carefully to ensure that this exceptional botanical heritage is not be compromised." Standard English would be "should be planned carefully to ensure that this exceptional botanical heritage is not compromised." Since you asked to change nothing else, I have left it unchanged here except to flag it.

Butterflies thriving on invasive weeds in Raimona National Park: Study