‘Humboldtia nairiana’ Discovered in Kerala

In May 2026, scientists from the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala) discovered a new evergreen tree species from the southern Western Ghats of Kerala.

The newly identified species was named Humboldtia nairiana.
The species was discovered in the riparian (riverine) forests of the Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary.
It belongs to the genus Humboldtia and was named in honour of G. M. Nair, a noted plant biotechnologist.
The species is strictly endemic to Kerala and is currently known only from the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve.
Humboldtia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Fabaceae (legume family).
Most species of this genus are endemic to the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot and are known for their ecological association with ants (myrmecophily).