Pretty in pink, but Malarikkal’s lilies worry ecologists

The profuse blooming of pink water lilies in Malarikkal may have brought joy to hundreds of visitors and local tour operators, but not to biodiversity experts.

The three-month-long floral economy, which begins in July and ensures a flurry of activity and generates revenue, is having an adverse impact on the local ecology, ecologists fear.

A two-year-long study carried out for the Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) has revealed that the lily, an aquatic plant, has shown unprecedented and uncontrolled growth, adversely affecting the ecology.

Rameshkumar K.B., senior principal scientist at the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, who has been carrying out the study, said the water lily appeared in the region after the 2018 floods and showed prolific growth.

“The plant did not exist previously in the region, and research is ongoing to confirm whether the species could have escaped from nurseries or is a variant of an existing species. Studies are being carried out at the genetic and molecular levels to ascertain the species,” he said.

N. Anil Kumar, Chairperson of the Board, said the uncontrolled growth of the plant was alarming and needed to be prevented so that it did not spread to other water bodies.