New Distribution Records of the endemic Cobra Lily Arisaema tylophorum C.E.C.Fisch. (Araceae) from the Nilgiri Mountains, India

D. Mohandass, Tarun Chhabra, Ramneek Singh

Edhkwehlynawd Botanical Refuge (EBR) Centre Trust, Ecological Field Station, Amaggal Tea Estate, Doddacombai P.O. Nilgiris – 643 219, Tamil Nadu, India

Arisaema tylophorum C.E.C.Fisch. is an endemic and endangered cobra lily restricted to the montane evergreen (shola) forests of the southern Western Ghats. Historical herbarium records indicate that the species had not been collected in the Nilgiri Mountains since 1932, highlighting its rarity and limited distribution. Recent botanical explorations have significantly improved our understanding of its occurrence in the Nilgiris. The species was first rediscovered from Thaishola (ca. 2,185 m) and Avalanche (ca. 2,100 m), confirming its continued survival in the region. During subsequent field surveys, an additional population was documented in the Amaggal Reserve Forest near the Kundah region at an elevation of approximately 1,943 m above sea level, extending its known distribution to a mid elevation. Identification was confirmed through detailed morphological examination of live specimens, authenticated herbarium collections, and published taxonomic literature.

These collections provide important insights into the distribution, habitat preferences, and conservation status of A. tylophorum in the Nilgiri Mountains. The species inhabits cool, moist understory environments of shola forests, ecosystems that are increasingly threatened by habitat fragmentation, invasive alien species, and climate change. The discovery of an additional population in Amaggal Reserve Forest emphasizes the importance of continued botanical surveys and long-term ecological monitoring across the Nilgiri landscape. Live specimens have been established in the conservation nursery of the Edhkwehlynawd Botanical Refuge (EBR) to support ex situ conservation and future restoration initiatives. Together, the records from Thaishola, Avalanche, and Amaggal provide a more comprehensive understanding of the species' current distribution and reinforce the need for integrated in situ and ex situ conservation strategies to ensure the long-term survival of this rare endemic cobra lily.

Keywords; Cobra Lily, Arisaema tylophorum, Shola forest, Nilgiris, Edhkwehlynawd Botanical Refuge (EBR), D. Mohandass publication

Figure 1. Habit of Arisaema tylophorum C.E.C.Fisch. showing the entire plant (A) and flowers (B–D), photographed in the Amaggal Reserve Forest, Nilgiri Mountains, Tamil Nadu, India.