Kerala is a haven for plant life, with a surprisingly high number of species that can’t be found anywhere else on Earth. Over a third, an impressive 33.5%, of the State’s 3800 flowering plants are endemic. This means that staggering number of endemic plants, representing a whopping 22.6% of all such plants in India, thrive within Kerala’s borders.
The origins of this unique flora are ancient, tracing back to Gondwanaland, a super continent that once existed. While sharing some characteristics with plants found in Sri Lanka, Kerala’s flora likely diverged due to geographical or temporal isolation. This shared heritage is further highlighted by the interesting fact that the mountain ranges of Kerala (Nilgiris, Palani, Cardamom) show plant life similarities with Adam’s Peak in Sri Lanka.
Within Kerala itself, three main areas stand out for their concentration of endemic plants: Agasthyamala, Anamalai-High Ranges, and Silent Valley-Wayanad. Agasthyamala have nearly 190 endemic plant species, existing in small pockets within limited areas. Remarkably, recent surveys have even unearthed 35 new plant species in this relatively small forest region.
The Anamalai and High Ranges are known for three unique plant genera not found elsewhere: Haplothismia, Pseudoglochidion, and Utleria. Unfortunately, some plant species from this region face critical endangerment or possible extinction, including Anaphalis barnesii, Begonia aliciae, and several Impatiens species.
Finally, the Silent Valley-Wayanad region is home to a staggering five endemic plant genera that exist nowhere else on the planet: Chandrasekharania, Baeolepis, Kanjarum, Meteoromyrtus, and Silentvalleya. This incredible biodiversity makes Kerala a truly special place for plant life.
The State’s diverse habitats, from mountain ranges to tropical forests, provide shelter for a fascinating array of creatures. The resplendent shrubfrog, Raorchestes resplendens, is a critically endangered frog. It is endemic to the high altitude region around the south Indian peak of Anamudi. This frog has short limbs and many glands on its skin. It was discovered on the summit of Mount Anamudi and is only known to exist in Eravikulam National Park.
Let’s look at some of the endemics of Kerala:
Raorchestes chlorosomma, also known as the green-eyed bush frog, is endemic to Kerala.
Uraeotyphlus oommeni, sometimes called the Oommen’s caecilian, is a blind worm-like amphibian. It is endemic to the Western Ghats and has only been found in the Thiruvananthapuram district.
The Ochlandrae reed frog, Raorchestes ochlandrae, is a species of shrub frog endemic to the Western Ghats. It was first discovered in the Kakkayam Reserve Forest and has since been found in other parts of the Western Ghats. This frog gets its name from the type of bamboo it lives in.
Nyctibatrachus minimus is the smallest known frog in the genus Nyctibatrachus. It was recently discovered in Wayanad, Kerala. This tiny frog has no webbing on its toes or fingers, which may be an adaptation to its terrestrial habitat.
The Pirmad cat snake, Boiga dightoni, is a colubrid snake endemic to the Western Ghats.
Eutropis clivicola, known as Inger’s mabuya or mountain skink, is a species of skink found in the mountains of Kerala.
Plectrurus aureus, or the Kerala burrowing snake, is a species of uropeltid snake endemic to India. It has a gold coloured back with violet edges and a bright gold coloured underside with dark markings.
The Wynad day gecko, Cnemaspis wynadensis, is a gecko endemic to the Western Ghats. It is only known to exist in two locations in Kerala.
Rhinophis fergusonianus, commonly known as the Cardamom Hills earth snake, is a species of uropeltid snake endemic to the Western Ghats.
Uropeltis nitida is a non-venomous shieldtail snake endemic to southern India.
The Kerala rat, Rattus ranjiniae, is a rodent found only in Kerala.