The New Indian Express ·
For Salim, forest is his university, plants textbooks
KALPETTA: For 48-year-old Pichan M Salim, forest is a library where every leaf, flower and seed has a story waiting to be read. Often described as a “barefoot scientist”, Salim is one of the state’s sought-after field para-taxonomists.
His journey in taking the rich records of Western Ghats biodiversity from remote forest trails to the pages of international journals has proved that sometimes the most important lessons in science are not learnt inside a classroom; but beneath the canopy of a forest.
With the discovery of 23 new plant species, more than 10 new geographical records and over 53 scientific publications, the Wayanad native has carved out a remarkable place in the world of plant taxonomy. Two rare wild species now carry his name: Seidenfadeniella salimii and Impatiens salimii.
