My doctoral research study aims to understand systematics, diversity and biogeography of Persea (Lauraceae) plant group. The species of Persea are widely distributed from moist deciduous to evergreen forest of Northeast India and Western Ghats. Using an extensive taxon sampling from these two regions, the study aims to resolve the systematic complexities and the biogeographic origins of the Persea group in the Indian subcontinent. The study also seeks to understand the morphological character evolution to identify diagnostic taxonomic characters within the Persea group. The designed study will be carried out using plant-based taxonomic methods, micro morphological observations, and a multilocus dated phylogenetic hypothesis to understand the lineage diversification and dispersal patterns. The study aims to test different hypotheses about the origin and evolution of Indian Persea and revisit temporal (by molecular dating) and spatial patterns (by ancestral range estimations) of the rare Amphi-pacific disjunct distribution.

Publications:

Popular article: 

1. Nabasmita Malakar (2021). Conserve the forest to preserve the cultural heritage of Assam. ecoNE

Grant:

1. International Association for Plant Taxonomy (IAPT Research Grant), 2022 on ‘Systematics, biogeography and character evolution of Persea (Lauraceae) group in the Indian subcontinent’(June, 2022 – December 2023)