The 350-year-old banyan tree in the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden in Howrah is no longer the oldest in the world.

A banyan tree found in Narora of Bulandshahr district in Uttar Pradesh is said to be older.

Discovered by a joint team of scientists from the Botanical Survey of India, Prayagraj Centre, Babe-Bolyai University, Romania and a lab from Johannesburg, South Africa, this tree is estimated to be 500-years-old.

The Narora banyan tree was discovered during a floristic survey in the Upper Ganga Ramsar site and ranks tenth among the giant banyan trees in the world for its size.

Its canopy (the upper circle) spreads over 4,069 square meters.

Its age was determined through carbon dating methods.

The radiocarbon dating results indicate an age of 450 to 500 years for the Indian banyan tree at Narora. This age represents the oldest accurate dating result for the species.

Interestingly, it has only four roots supporting the main trunk, said Prof Arti Garg, senior scientist of BSI, Prayagraj, and co-author of the study.

This tree is located eight kilometres from the Narora Power Plant in Bulandshahr (UP), she added.

The study, published as a research article in the May edition of 'Current Science', has been authored by Roxana T Patrut, Adrian Patrut, Laszlo Rakosy and Ileana-Andreea Ratiu of the Babe-Bolyai University, ClujNapoca, Romania, Arti Garg from BSI, Prayagraj and Stephan Woodborne from iThemba LABS, Johannesburg.

"In India, banyan trees have a spiritual, mythological and religious significance, symbolising eternal life and/or fertility and are recommended for planting around homes and temples. They are also referred to as 'Kalpavriksha', meaning wish-fulfilling trees," said Prof Garg.

World's largest F. benghalensis (banyan tree) as measured by net covered area, is Thimmamma Marrimanu in Andhra Pradesh, with a coverage of 19,107 sqm, followed by Kabir Vad banyan tree in Gujarat, which spreads over 17,520 sqm and the Giant Banyan tree at Majhi, UP, with 16,770 sqm.

The Great Banyan tree of Kolkata, previously considered the oldest and the largest banyan in the world, now ranks fourth with a coverage of 16,531 sqm. (IANS/NS)