Momordica Denudata- a rare climber plant, spotted at Pavagadh after 57 years
Nursery Today Desk
New Delhi. Momordica Denudata- a rare climber plant- was recently spotted again in Pavagadh at the foothills of the mountain after over half a century. Forest officials claim that this can be similar to how mythical phoenix, local flora regenerates amid the natural environment.
Momordica is a genus of around 60 species including climbers and shrubs. It is natives of tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Australia. Some species of Momordica are used by the Chinese as a medicine for cold, fever, ulcer and some other diseases. Momordica denudata is usually found in the western region of India and Sri Lanka.
This finding becomes more significant as the forest department is in the process of creating a Miyawaki forest on its land near Pavagadh. Miyawaki method is a fast-growing native plant forest cultivation technique. The dense, diverse planting is meant to resemble the layers of a natural forest.
Dr. Minal Jani, deputy conservator of forests, social forestry department elaborated that GM Oza last spotted this climber plant in Pavagadh in 1966, which was later included in the Flora of Gujarat on the authority of Oza’s record. After this, many taxonomists explored Pavagadh but could never see this plant again.
Dr. Sandip Patel, a taxonomist and assistant professor at Daman Science College, spotted this plant again in Dharampur in 2020. These were the only two recorded sightings of this rare climber in the state. Dr. Patel spotted and identified this plant in the wild, while we were carrying out a weeding exercise near Jepura village in the foothills of Pavagadh, Dr. Jani added.
He continued that spotting this climber which usually grows on other trees and reaches a height of seven to eight feet will help in studying its medicinal and other properties.
