Category: Eco Park

At the Eco Park in Sanjeevi Malai, a quiet shrub stood bathed in the soft afternoon light. To most visitors, it was just another flowering plant in the dry landscape. But to those who knew its story, Dalbergia coromandeliana Prain was nothing short of remarkable.

Once thought lost for nearly fifty years and later rediscovered in the hills of Dindigul, this rare and endangered shrub belongs to the dry tropical biomes of southern Tamil Nadu. Native to districts such as Kanyakumari, Madurai, Ramanathapuram, and Tirunelveli, it has now found a visible presence in the Rajapalayam region as well.

During its flowering season, the shrub comes alive. Clusters of delicate blossoms release a mild, pleasant fragrance into the warm air. Honey bees gather in large numbers, drawn to the nectar, turning the quiet plant into a humming centre of activity.

Yet its importance goes beyond beauty and fragrance. Beneath the soil, its roots hold powerful compounds – rare isoflavonoids such as dalspinin – that scientists have used in green chemistry to synthesise gold nanoparticles for breaking down pollutants. Its stem extracts have also shown antibacterial properties against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

In that simple photograph taken at Sanjeevi Malai, what appears to be an ordinary shrub is in fact a survivor – a species once nearly forgotten, now standing resilient. It reminds us that even the smallest plants in dry landscapes may hold stories of endurance, science, and quiet ecological significance.