-37,000-year-old bamboo from Manipur reveals Asia’s ice age secret
New Delhi : Researchers studying fossil plant remains in the silt-rich deposits of the Chirang River in Manipur’s Imphal Valley have uncovered a remarkably well-preserved bamboo stem, complete with the ghostly imprints of long-vanished thorns. This discovery—the earliest thorny bamboo fossil in Asia—could reshape the understanding of the continent’s botanical history.
Bamboo fossils are extremely rare due to the hollow stems and fibrous tissues that decay quickly, leaving little trace in the geological record. Until now, scientists largely inferred bamboo’s defensive traits by comparing modern species and their habitats.
The team from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), stumbled upon the fossil during field surveys in the Chirang River deposits. Detailed laboratory analysis identified unusual markings on the stem as thorn scars, prompting further investigation.
Examining the morphology of the stem—including nodes, buds, and thorn scars—the researchers assigned it to the genus Chimonobambusa. Comparisons with living thorny bamboos, such as Bambusa bambos and Chimonobambusa callosa, helped reconstruct its defensive features and ecological role.
This fossil provides the first direct evidence that thorniness in bamboo—a defense mechanism against herbivores—was present in Asia during the Ice Age. Its preservation is particularly significant because it dates to a period of colder and drier global climates, when bamboo vanished from many regions, including Europe. The find suggests that Northeast India served as a safe refuge where bamboo continued to thrive despite harsh conditions elsewhere.
Published in the journal Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, the study is notable for capturing delicate details like thorn scars, which almost never fossilize. The discovery also highlights the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot as a critical refuge during the Ice Age, underscoring the region’s role in preserving biodiversity under global climatic stress.
The research, conducted by H. Bhatia, P. Kumari, N.H. Singh, and G. Srivastava, not only enriches understanding of bamboo evolution but also contributes to palaeoclimatic and biogeographic studies, revealing how Northeast India acted as a sanctuary for flora during periods of extreme climate change.