Portulaca Bharat

Environment & Ecology

A new endemic flowering plant species, Portulaca bharat, has been discovered in the Aravalli hills near Jaipur.

A newly discovered flowering plant species found in the rocky, semi-arid Aravalli hills near Jaipur, Rajasthan.
Currently assessed as “data deficient” under International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List due to the absence of known populations.
Classified as an Indian endemic species with narrow habitat requirements.
Highly vulnerable to habitat degradation and climate change.
Belongs to the Portulaca genus, which includes around 153 species globally, mainly in tropical and subtropical regions.
Known for succulent, drought-resistant features adapted to harsh environments.
India has 11 known Portulaca species, including four endemics, mainly in dry and semi-arid zones.

Portulaca Bharat

One of the oldest fold mountains in the world.
Length: ~670 km, running southwest from Delhi through Haryana, Rajasthan, and ending in Gujarat.
Highest peak: Guru Shikhar (1,722 m) in the Arbuda Hills, Rajasthan.
Major rivers
- Banas and Sahibi (tributaries of Yamuna)
- Luni River (flows into Rann of Kutch)
Geological formation
- Part of the Aravalli: Delhi orogenic belt, formed during the Proterozoic era due to tectonic collisions.
- Belongs to the Indian Shield, shaped by ancient cratonic collisions.
Originally very high, the range has been worn down by erosion over millions of years.
Rich in minerals like copper, zinc, lead, and marble.
Divisions
- Sambhar–Sirohi ranges (taller, includes Guru Shikhar)
- Sambhar–Khetri ranges (three discontinuous ridges)

Where was the newly discovered species Portulaca Bharat found?

(1) Western Ghats
(2) Nilgiri Hills
(3) Aravalli Hills near Jaipur
(4) Satpura Range

Answer: (3) Aravalli Hills near Jaipur