In Bihar, two varieties of trees on verge of extinction

PATNA: Two varieties of trees, Hardwickia Binata, commonly known as ‘Anjan’ in Hindi, and Grewia Asiatica, also known as ‘Phalsa’, are on the verge of extinction in Bihar. The Government of Bihar has decided to conduct a survey to inspect the cause of this.

Phalsa is a shrub, which grows in cymes, up to a height of eight meters. Its fruit, deep purple coloured berries of one to two centimeters in diameter, are eaten in summers. It has a natural cooling effect and is rich in nutrients. According to D K Shukla, Chairman, Bihar State Biodiversity Board, Phalsa was initially discovered in Gaya and subsequently transported by Buddhist experts to Varanasi and the rest of the world.

Anjan trees or Hardwickia Binata trees have drooping branches and grow to a height of 25-30 metres. They were found in abundance in the Kaimur district’s woodlands, but now they have dwindled to a dangerously low number.

Dipak Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of Bihar, has said that the state government will conduct a state-wide survey to assess the cause of their low number and make a list of other endangered varieties of trees. He conjectured that the reason could be acts of deforestation and habitat destruction of animals and plants.