Context

• The Indian scientists discover novel plant species in Antarctica, during an expedition to Antarctica, in 2017.
• Recently, scientists could confirmed that the plant species had been discovered for the first time.

About the new species

• It is a rare, dark green plant species.
• The plant species was found at the Larsemann Hills, near one of the world’s remotest research stations, Bharati.
• The plant species was later recognized as mosses.
• It is called as Bryum Bharatiensis, named after the Hindu goddess, Bharati, who also lends her name to India’s research station in Antarctica.
• It is named so by the scientists to pay tribute to their country of origin, i.e., India.
• It is the first time, since the launch of the first research station in Antarctica, four decades ago, that India discovered a new plant species.
• This research has opens new doors for more such studies in the region.
• It will also be interesting to know how these mosses survive one of the world’s toughest weather in temperatures going as low as -70 degrees.

About Moss:

• Mosses are non-flowering plants, which produce spores and have stems and leaves, but don't have true roots.
• Mosses, and their cousins liverworts and hornworts, are classified as Bryophyta (bryophytes) in the plant kingdom.
• Mosses are distributed throughout the world except in salt water and are commonly found in moist shady locations.

https://newsonair.com/2021/07/10/indian-scientists-discover-novel-plant-species-in-antarctica/

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