While the biodiversity in the hilly areas of Adilabad and neighbouring districts is phenomenal, the attention it receives for it is completely inverse in proportion. Take for instance a wonder of nature in the form of the beautiful 40-year-old ippa or mahua tree (Madhuca indica) which exhibits two coloured foliage during the first month of leafing.
The tree is located in a small piece of no man’s land amid agriculture fields about 500 meters away from Heerapur village in Utnoor mandal on the road between Utnoor Cross Road and Hasnapur. Though it cannot be missed owing to the resplendent red and green foliage not many among those who should have seem to have noticed the unique tree.
The trunk of the tree branches into two after rising for about 4 ft. The two branches exhibit different stages of leafing which has one of it showing green foliage and the other a reddish one.
“The green leaves sprouted first and attained maturity about 15 days earlier while the red ones are still tender but will become green in a few days,” explained E.N. Murthy of the Satavahana University Botany Department, at Karimnagar.
“This is a unique phenomenon perhaps due to some chromosomal aberration which definitely requires a study,” he opined.
Recently, the tree escaped being cut down narrowly only because the digging for Mission Bhagiratha project and laying of an electric line took place a few feet away from it. It however, requires all the protection now as it faces renewed danger owing to its location.
As is the wont of farmers, they keep expanding the boundaries of their fields by felling trees every year, it requires protection.
Last year, the forest officials at Utnoor did visit the spot and carried out some documentation on the colourful tree. However, as there seemed no need for it, they did not do anything about protecting the tree from any potential danger from farmers or others.
