Gudalur’s violet revival: the kurinji blooms again
IN NEWS:
Gudalur’s violet revival: the kurinji blooms again
UPSC-STYLE ANALYSIS
1. Overview of the Bloom
- Kurinji (Strobilanthes sessilis) has bloomed after eight years in Gudalur, Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu.
- Mass flowering observed in newly notified reserve forests, indicating revival of grasslands in the Western Ghats.
- Bloom acts as an indicator of climate change and ecosystem health.
2. Ecological Significance
- Kurinji flowers only once in a lifetime; its gregarious blooms indicate healthy grasslands.
- Supports pollinators: butterflies, honeybees (especially eastern honeybee).
- Provides insight into microclimatic conditions, altitude, and habitat diversity.
3. Botanical Details
- Species in Gudalur: Strobilanthes sessilis (blooms once every eight years).
- Famous Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana) blooms every 12 years at higher altitudes (>1,300 m).
- Total 33 varieties of kurinji in the Nilgiris, with color variations: purple, blue, white, pink (10 shades each).
- Western Ghats host ~60 endemic kurinji species, highlighting high endemism.
4. Conservation and Management Efforts
- Tamil Nadu Government notified over 90 new forests in 4.5 years to increase green cover.
- Reserve forests like Nadugani Gene Pool (600 acres) provide protection to kurinji and associated wildlife.
- Threats include: climate change, invasive species, uncontrolled tourism.
- Protection ensures ecosystem restoration, biodiversity conservation, and wildlife sustenance.
5. Cultural and Scientific Relevance
- Indigenous communities recognize timing of blooms, reflecting traditional ecological knowledge.
- Botanists and naturalists document species across Western Ghats, Agasthya, and Tapti ranges, highlighting periodicity, endemism, and biodiversity value.
- Mass flowering indicates thriving wildlife, including elephants, tigers, hornbills.
NECESSARY STATIC PART
1. Western Ghats
- UNESCO World Heritage Site, biodiversity hotspot.
- Contains high-altitude grasslands and endemic flora/fauna.
- Sensitive to climate change and anthropogenic pressures.
2. Strobilanthes Species
- Monocarpic (flower once in lifetime) plants; flowering triggers seed regeneration.
- Includes Neelakurinji, Sessilis, Karvi, and Homotropa species with varied flowering periodicity.
- Significance: ecological indicator, conservation value, aesthetic and cultural importance.
3. Grassland Ecosystems
- Health assessed by mass flowering events.
- Supports pollinators, birds, and larger fauna.
- Requires controlled tourism, invasive species management, and habitat protection.