In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have unearthed 24-million-year-old Kewra fossils in Assam, India, shedding light on the plant's ancient origins and offering a fascinating glimpse into the region's past. This remarkable find challenges our understanding of the plant's evolution and the environmental conditions that once prevailed in the area. Personally, I find this discovery particularly intriguing as it highlights the resilience and longevity of certain plant species, and how they have endured over millions of years. What makes this discovery even more remarkable is the fact that the Kewra plant, known for its fragrant essence used in sweets, perfumes, traditional medicine, and temple rituals, has remained largely unchanged over this vast timescale. This raises a deeper question: how do certain species manage to adapt and survive through such dramatic environmental changes? The fossils, recovered from the Tikak Parbat Formation in the Makum Coalfield of Tinsukia district, were found to belong to the Pandanaceae, or screw-pine family, to which the modern Kewra plant belongs. This discovery bridges a major gap in the evolutionary history of the screw-pine family, linking older fossils from Europe and North America with younger ones from Asia and Australia. From my perspective, this finding is significant because it suggests that the Indian subcontinent may have served as a vital refuge for ancient tropical plants during global climate shifts. What many people don't realize is that the Kewra plant, despite being restricted to tropical regions today, once had a much wider distribution across the Northern Hemisphere. This discovery also provides valuable insights into the ancient climate and ecosystems of Assam. Around 24 million years ago, the region was covered by warm, humid forests, freshwater swamps, and river ecosystems, providing ideal conditions for screw-pines to thrive. This makes Assam one of India's richest fossil sites, with previous finds of palms, mangroves, and rainforest plants offering a window into the evolution of Northeast India's forests, biodiversity, and ancient climate. The study, published in the international journal Geobios by researchers Harshita Bhatia and Gaurav Srivastava of the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), Lucknow, has important implications for our understanding of plant evolution and the environmental conditions that once prevailed in the region. In my opinion, this discovery is a testament to the power of scientific exploration and the importance of preserving and studying our natural heritage. It also raises questions about the potential for discovering even older fossils in the region, and the role that Assam may have played in the evolution of other plant species. Overall, the discovery of 24-million-year-old Kewra fossils in Assam is a fascinating and significant find that offers a window into the past and provides valuable insights into the evolution of plant species and the environmental conditions that once prevailed in the region.
