Tag : Trees

    Two trees on verge of extinction in Bihar

    Karan
    May10/ 2022

    Patna: Grewia asiatica, which goes by the name Phalsa, and Hardwickia binata, better known as Anjan' in Hindi, are almost on the verge of extinction in Bihar and the state government has decided to carry out a survey to find out the reason. Phalsa was first sighted in Gaya and then taken by Buddhist scholars to Varanasi and the rest of the world, D K Shukla, Chairman, Bihar State Biodiversity Board, said. It is a shrub growing up to a height of 8 metre and the flowers are produced in cymes. Purple in colour when ripe, Phalsa berries are small, measuring about one to two centimeter in size. The fruit is a powerhouse of vitamins, and trace minerals and is easily digestible, Shukla said. During the summer months, the fruit and its juice are said to have a cooling effect. The decreasing number of Anjan' trees, is also a matter of serious concern, Shukla said. The Hardwickia binata tree, with drooping branches, grows up to a height of 25-30 metre and was found in abundance in the forests of Kaimur district. The Bihar government has decided to carry out a state-wide survey to find out the exact reason behind the disappearance of these two trees in the state. During the survey, experts will also prepare a list of other endangered tree species in Bihar , Additional Chief Secretary of the Bihar Environment, Forest and Climate Change department, Dipak Kumar Singh, told PTI. Explaining the possible reasons behind the disappearance of these two trees, Shukla, told PTI, one cannot deny that habitat destruction, caused by human activities such as deforestation and increasing pollution, is leading to the loss of many plants in the state . Noting that it is a matter of concern, the Bihar State Biodiversity chief said a detailed survey will so ...

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