Kalpatta: An endemic plant of Western Ghats that was earlier known from the Northern Western Ghats, joins the flora of Kerala. It is a creeper called Heterostemma dalzellii. The first report of this plant from southern Western Ghats comes from Wayanad. This discovery is from the adjoining area of 900 area that belongs to the Nilgiri Biosphere. Kalpetta M S Swaminathan Foundation Director, Dr. V. Shakeela, researchers Dr. N. Mohanan, Salim Pichan, Nandakumar P.M and Alappuzha SD College Asst. Professor Dr Jose Mathew are behind the discovery. This plant has beautiful flowers and leaves and can be used as an ornamental plant. A detailed study on the discovery of the plant has been published in the international scientific journal Lillo.
