Sri Lanka rediscovery of rare plant species lost for 170 years

Researchers have rediscovered a rare plant species, Indianthus virgatus, in a lowland forest fragment along the Sitawaka Ganga River in Sri Lanka. The species, which features small white flowers, had not been formally recorded in the country since 1855, leading many to believe it was extinct in the wild in Sri Lanka.

Using historical records and predictive habitat modeling, a research team located a small population of approximately 70 to 100 individuals in the Sabaragamuwa Province in January 2025. The find is significant because Indianthus virgatus is the only species within its genus and exhibits a disjunct occurrence across the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka.

Co-author Vivek Pandi of the Manipal Academy of Higher Education noted that the discovery raises questions regarding whether the population was split by ancient geological events or through long-distance dispersal. Conservationists state that the rediscovery highlights the urgent need to protect remaining natural habitats from deforestation and land-use changes.