Guwahati, Oct. 24 -- Botanists have identified two new flowering plant species in Arunachal Pradesh's Changlang district, with one named after Chief Minister Pema Khandu in recognition of his contribution to the state's development and scientific activities.

The newly described species, Ophiorrhiza shidiensis and Ophiorrhiza pemae, were discovered in the Vijoynagar valley and documented in a research paper published in the journal Taiwania.

The study was authored by Krishna Chowlu, Renthlei Lalnunfeli and Vinay Kumar Sahani of the Botanical Survey of India's Arunachal Pradesh Regional Centre and Madras Christian College.

The researchers said the plants were first observed during field surveys in March 2025. Specimens were collected whe...