From a Social Media Photo to a New Species: Sri Lankan Researchers Record the Kithulgala Balsam
AI-generated illustration, not an authenticated photograph or exact botanical depiction of the species. The original Daily Mirror photographs of the researchers and plant could not be reproduced.
A photograph shared after an excursion to Kithulgala has helped bring a previously unknown plant to the attention of science. Researchers have formally described the new species as Impatiens yakandawalarum, adding an exceptional, highly localised balsam to Sri Lanka’s recorded natural heritage.
The plant, known by the proposed common names Kithulgala Koodalu in Sinhala and Kithulgala Balsam in English, was found in the Mannakethi Ella ecosystem, within the Kithulgala Divisional Secretariat in the Kegalle District of Sabaragamuwa Province. Its story is notable not only for the botanical discovery, but also for the way an observation shared online connected a member of the public with environmental explorers and specialist researchers.
The discovery was reported by the Daily Mirror on 13 October 2026. The scientific description appeared in the Ceylon Journal of Science, a peer-reviewed journal published by the University of Peradeniya.
A photograph prompts a closer look
The sequence began when Salani Gunarathne, a lawyer and postgraduate candidate in Environmental Law at the University of Colombo, visited the Mannakethi Ella area and shared photographs from her excursion on social media. Among the images was an unfamiliar plant growing in the wet environment.
Peshala Karunarathne, a University of Vocational Technology graduate, environmental explorer and student of plant species, noticed the plant in the photographs. It appeared to resemble Impatiens janthina, but the flowers showed differences that merited further investigation. Karunarathne forwarded the images to Bhathiya Gopallawa, a researcher specialising in Sri Lanka’s Impatiens genus and a PhD candidate in Botany at the University of Peradeniya.
Gopallawa recognised features that warranted examination in the field. After visiting the area and studying specimens, he confirmed that the plant represented a species not previously known to global science. What began as a photograph shared after a visit had therefore become the starting point for formal botanical study.
An AI-generated botanical illustration for context; it is not a verified image of Impatiens yakandawalarum.
Naming a distinct Sri Lankan species
The formal scientific name is Impatiens yakandawalarum Gopallawa, Hapuarachchi & Jayathissa. The research team proposed Kithulgala Koodalu and Kithulgala Balsam as the Sinhala and English common names.
The species name honours two Sri Lankan botanists: Professor Kapila Yakandawala of the Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management at Wayamba University, and Professor Deepthi Yakandawala of the Department of Botany, Faculty of Science at the University of Peradeniya. The naming recognises their contributions to botanical research in Sri Lanka.
The research team comprised Bhathiya Gopallawa of the University of Peradeniya; Peshala Karunarathne of the University of Vocational Technology; Chathura Jayathissa of the University of Peradeniya; Salani Gunarathne of the University of Colombo; and Sandali Hapuarachchi of the University of Peradeniya.
Their findings were published in the Ceylon Journal of Science. The journal record for the paper is dated 29 September 2026, while the Daily Mirror reported the research as unveiled on 30 September. The paper describes the species based on morphological evidence and provides comparisons with related balsams.
Among its distinguishing characteristics is an entirely spurless lower sepal, a floral feature described by botanists as ecalcarate. The research paper identifies it as the first Sri Lankan Impatiens species documented as consistently having this feature in the material examined. Its combination of traits separates it from species with which it might otherwise be confused, including I. janthina.
Why point-endemism matters
The discovery also highlights a conservation concern: point-endemism. In simple terms, a point-endemic species is known from an exceptionally restricted area rather than a broad region. According to the reporting, Kithulgala Balsam grows only on a few specific rock outcrops near the Mannakethi Ella waterfall.
That narrow distribution makes the plant especially vulnerable. If human activity damages or destroys its small, specialised micro-habitat, the species could disappear worldwide. The scientific paper likewise describes the plant as currently known only from its type locality, on a wet rocky slope in the lowland wet zone.
This is why the finding is more than an addition to a species list. A plant may be newly described in a journal, but its continued survival depends on the condition of the particular environment in which it grows. Wet rock faces, seepage-fed slopes and waterfall margins may appear modest beside better-known forests, yet they can sustain distinctive plant communities with very limited ranges.
Visitors to the area are encouraged to stay on marked paths and leave wild plants undisturbed. The plant should not be picked, moved or sought out beyond publicly available information; careful conduct helps protect both sensitive habitats and the species they support.
An illustrative scene showing how an observation shared online can prompt scientific investigation; the people and objects are not from the reported discovery.
A growing picture of Sri Lanka’s balsams
More than 1,200 species of Impatiens are recorded globally. Before this discovery, Sri Lanka was reported to have 27 native species, of which 18 were endemic to the island. With I. yakandawalarum, those totals rise to 28 native species and 19 endemic species.
The Kithulgala finding forms part of a wider period of renewed attention to Sri Lanka’s balsams. Recent discoveries include the Knuckles Balsam, Impatiens jacobdevlasii, and Impatiens lancifolia, reported near the Peak Wilderness Sanctuary. There has also been the rediscovery of Impatiens subcordata, a species believed to have been extinct for more than a century.
Balsams are valued as ornamental flowers and have also been used in traditional medicine. Their familiar English name, Touch-Me-Not, refers to the ripe seed pods, which can burst open when touched, scattering their seeds. Such traditional uses form part of the plants’ cultural history; they should not be taken as medical advice or as evidence of a treatment’s effectiveness.
AI-generated illustration of a fragile wet-zone habitat. It does not identify the plant’s precise location.
From observation to shared responsibility
The Kithulgala Balsam story demonstrates how local knowledge, public curiosity and specialist research can work together. Gunarathne’s photographs made an observation visible; Karunarathne’s familiarity with plant forms prompted a question; and Gopallawa’s expertise and field examination helped establish that the plant was distinct. The full research team then documented and published the finding.
For Sri Lankans living at home and abroad, the discovery offers a compelling connection to the island’s natural heritage. It is also a reminder that scientific progress can begin with close attention to familiar landscapes, and that documenting fragile ecosystems brings with it a responsibility to protect them.
This article was written based on the source https://www.dailymirror.lk/news-features/From-social-media-to-Lab-How-an-Online-Photo-Rewrote-Sri-Lankas-Biodiversity-Records/131-352408, kindly email us at info@eLanka.com.au if any information needs to be corrected.
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