Phtheirospermum lushaiorum

Phtheirospermum lushaiorum

Context: A rare hemi-parasitic terrestrial plant named Phtheirospermum lushaiorum has been discovered in Phawngpui National Park in Mizoram.

About:

• Phtheirospermum lushaiorum is a newly discovered species of hemi-parasitic terrestrial plant.
• Hemi-parasitic plants like this lack a fully developed root system and form connections with another plant to obtain water and minerals.
• Despite being parasitic, they have chlorophyll and can produce their own food through photosynthesis, sometimes exhibiting limited growth even without a host plant.
• They utilize specialized structures called haustoria to tap into the sap-conducting tissue of the host plant.
• This new species was found in Phawngpui National Park inMizoram.
• Phtheirospermum lushaiorum attaches itself to the roots of its host plant and appears similar to normal plants growing in the soil.
• It flowers only during the months of July to September, with fruits produced from August to October.
• The specific epithet \'lushaiorum\' is derived from the \'Lushai\' tribe of Mizoram, after whom it is named.Capabilities: Predicts static structures of proteins and protein-protein interactions. Capable of predicting structures and interactions for any combination of protein, DNA, and RNA molecules.