Musa mannii

Despite botanical surveys taking place in the areas of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh (Häkkinen and Väre 2008), the species was only re-discovered in the wild in 2011 (Joe et al. 2014), suggesting that it may be rare. Where the species has been collected in 9 mile, near Namdang, it has been collected from only one site with two groups of 10 plants in a clump (Joe et al. 2014). The authors describe the species as very rare and were unable to collect it from elsewhere in the northeastern states of India (Joe et al. 2014, Joe and Sabu 2016). Gogoi and Borah (2014) also attest to its threatened status at the collection locality at the Namdang check gate. Lacking further numerical population information, it is hypothesised that the other subpopulations are of similar composition and number approximately 20 plants each. As such, the global population is suspected to number fewer than 250 individuals, and possibly fewer than 50 individuals, with no more than 50 plants in any one subpopulation. However, with no numerical population information available for the locality at Namdang check gate, nor for the possible subpopulations at Diyun, Miao and Chowkham, it is difficult to conclude this with certainty. Research into the global trend for the species, as well as the status of these other subpopulations, is required.