37,000-year-old Manipur bamboo sheds new light on Asia’s Ice Age climate.

A rare bamboo fossil discovered in Manipur’s Imphal Valley has offered remarkable insight into plant evolution and climate resilience during the Late Pleistocene. The 37,000-year-old specimen, excavated from the silt-rich deposits of the Chirang River, preserves thorn scars and structural details almost never found in bamboo fossils, rewriting aspects of Asia’s botanical history.

Breakthrough Discovery in Imphal Valley

Researchers from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences uncovered a fossilised bamboo stem displaying distinct thorn scars. The team identified the specimen as belonging to the genus Chimonobambusa after laboratory analysis of nodes, buds, and spine marks. Radiometric data confirmed its Late Pleistocene age, placing it among the earliest thorny bamboo fossils in Asia.

Rare Preservation of Defensive Traits

Bamboo rarely fossilises because of its hollow and fibrous structure, making this specimen exceptional. The preserved thorn scars reveal that defensive adaptations such as spinescence had evolved early to protect against Ice Age herbivores. Comparisons with modern thorny species demonstrated continuity in defensive strategies across tens of thousands of years.

Insights into Ice Age Climate and Refugia

The fossil indicates that northeast India functioned as a climatic refugium during global cooling. While colder and drier conditions eliminated bamboo from parts of Eurasia, the Indo-Burma region maintained humid microclimates that supported plant survival. The find strengthens evidence of the region’s role in safeguarding biodiversity under severe climatic stress.

Exam Oriented Facts

• The fossil is dated to around 37,000 years, within the Late Pleistocene.
• It belongs to the genus Chimonobambusa, known for thorny culm structures.
• Bamboo fossils are extremely rare due to rapid decay of fibrous tissues.
• Northeast India acted as a biodiversity refugium during Ice Age conditions.

Significance for Evolution and Modern Conservation

The fossil demonstrates that thorn evolution in bamboo was already established during periods of climatic instability. Its survival in a protected habitat highlights the ecological resilience of the region. The discovery enriches palaeoclimate reconstruction and underscores the importance of conserving biodiversity hotspots that historically supported species through environmental extremes.