According to specialists from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and the Uttarakhand Forest Department, a rare orchid species known as Cephalanthera erecta var. oblanceolata was discovered for the first time in India in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district at an elevation of 1870 metres.
“When I examined them, I discovered that they were Cephalanthera erecta var. oblanceolata, an extremely rare orchid species that had never been documented from India before. So we looked at the existing literature on this species, talked to other experts about it, and finally confirmed that it was the first time it had been documented in India,” Jeewan Singh Jalal, an expert on orchid species in India said.
According to Jalal, a research paper on the new addition to Indian flora was published in Nelumbo, the BSI’s six-monthly journal and volumes detailing Indian orchid species would be updated soon.
About the Species:
Cephalanthera is a tiny group of terrestrial orchids that includes roughly 19 taxa and is found primarily in Europe, North America, and temperate Asia.
Cephalanthera damasonium and Cephalanthera longifolia, which are limited to the Himalayan region, are the only species in India that belong to the genus.
During a floristic exploration in the upper Himalayan regions in May of this year, a team discovered 20 to 30 distinct plants of this species in a tiny location near Chamoli.
According to the IUCN, this uncommon orchid species is endangered. Their habitat is under immediate threat as a result of manmade activities such as tourism and pilgrimage. The plants are vulnerable to cattle grazing and trampling.
The number of matured individuals observed is not more than 30, indicating that the species is in danger. As a result, more intensive floristic surveys and habitat management are advised for its protection.
Orchids in Uttarakhand:
Around 250 orchid species have been identified in Uttarakhand. Due to frequent rainfall and a dense vegetation cover, the Mandal valley in Chamoli district is exceptionally rich in orchid species, according to forest officials.
Last year, specialists confirmed that a small and highly rare orchid species, Liparis pygmaea, had been discovered in India, after a nearly 124-year absence, in the alpine meadows of Chamoli district at an altitude of 3800 metres.
The department’s research wing, according to Sanjiv Chaturvedi, chief conservator of forests (CCF) and in charge of the state forest research wing, has been focusing not only on the conservation of orchid species in the Himalayan state but also on finding new or lesser-known species that have not been thoroughly studied so far. “This finding has not only enriched the rich flora of Uttarakhand but the flora of India as a whole,” he said.