Plant of yielding the fragrant kewra is older than human civilization & predates Himalaya formation

Key Highlights:

• Fossil leaves of the Kevda plant, known for kewra essence, have been discovered in Assam, dating back approximately 24 million years.
• The discovery was made by scientists from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), Lucknow.
• This finding indicates the Kevda plant (Pandanus) has survived in the Indian subcontinent for millions of years, predating human civilization.
• The study highlights India's role as an important refuge for ancient tropical plant lineages during periods of global climate change.

Detailed Insights:

• The fossil leaves were recovered from the Tikak Parbat Formation of the Makum Coalfield in Assam.
• Detailed morphological and microscopic analyses confirmed the fossils' resemblance to modern Kevda leaves, including distinctive marginal prickles.
• The Pandanaceae family, to which Kevda belongs, once had a wider distribution across the Northern Hemisphere 85–66 million years ago.
• Global climate cooling around 34 million years ago led to the restriction of these plants to tropical regions.
• The Assam fossils fill a gap in the evolutionary history of the family, linking older records with younger ones from Asia and Australia.
• The research, published in the journal Geobios, enhances understanding of tropical plant evolution and Indian biodiversity.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Palaeosciences: The scientific study of ancient life, primarily through the examination of fossils.
• Fossil: The preserved remains or traces of organisms from a past geological age.
• Biodiversity: The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.
• Refuge (biological): An area where a population of organisms can survive during a period of unfavorable conditions.