Q. What species is ‘Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana)’ which was recently seen in the news?
Answer:
Flower
Notes: Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) added Neelakurinji flower (Strobilanthes kunthiana) on the list of protected plants under Schedule III of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
The plant was endemic to a small stretch in the Western Ghats from the Mangaladevi hills to the Nilgiris hills.