Tamenglong, May 18: In what may be a first in Manipur, a strange looking fungi-like wildflower that resembles Clathrus Crispus was found by locals in a forest of New Magulong village located in Tamenglong district on Sunday.
Clathrus Crispus, commonly called stinkhorns, is a species of fungus found in the Americas and reported as new to science in 1820. The wild species found in New Magulong bears a similar look and colour as that of Clathrus Crispus.
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Showing a video clip of the plant and speaking in local dialect Zeme, villagers of New Magulong said they found the rare wild flower growing under citrus trees with egg shaped white bulbs. Some of the white egg-like bulbs can be seen cracking up red in the centre to bloom. One can also see an uneven wide red splash close to the ground, the wildflower seemingly in full bloom. Expressing amazement and curiosity, the locals said the plant was never seen before in the region.
While it is yet to be ascertained what exactly the new-found wildflower is, this rainforest region of Tamenglong is known for its thickly forested hills and rich biodiversity. Forest conservation continues as an age-old practice by the locals.