Brachystelma bilobatum blooms for first time outside native forests

Hyderabad: Brachystelma bilobatum is a rare plant from the Asclepiadaceae family. The surprising thing is that it has bloomed at the Telangana Botanical Garden located in Dr. BRR Government Degree & PG College, Jadcherla, Mahabubnagar district. This is a rare occasion because it is the first time this plant has flowered outside its original home. It was first revealed in 2020 in the Nallamala forests by Dr. B. Sadasivaiah. To date, this rare plant grows in only two locations in the Nallamala forests.

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Brachystelma bilobatum is entirely different from other plants because flowers come earlier, before it grows leaves, a feature known as “hysteranthous.” It grows up to 25 cm tall, has a thin stem, and has a few small leaves about 7 cm long. The plant has a round tuber that is edible and is often eaten by tribal communities and wild animals. This tuber is also used in traditional medicine. The plant flowers from April to June. The flowers grow in pairs at the nodes, are about 1 cm long, and are deep maroon to almost black, covered with tiny white hairs. The plant’s name comes from the special deeply split shape of its staminal corona.

An expert, Dr. G. Sukanya, said the Telangana Botanical Garden has played a remarkable role in the protection of these exceptional plants. She further added that this kind of bloom will be a boon for the botany students and researchers to experience something unusual in life. Tubers from other Brachystelma plants are usually used for the treatment of various diseases. Dr. Sadasivaiah emphasized that further research is required in this regard to find out whether the plant has other medicinal benefits.