J. Econ. Taxon. Bot. Vol. 34 No. 1 (2010) DIVERSITY OF GENUS BULBOPHYLLUM THOUARS IN WEST BENGAL - A CENSUS S. MlTRA & SOBHAN KR. MUKHERJEE* Department of Botany, Ranaghat College, Ranaghat, Nadia e-mail: sunit_mitra2003@yahoo.co.in "Department of Botany University ofKalyaniKalyani, Nadia e-mail: sobhankr@yahoo.com ABSTRACT In the present paper 36 species of the genus Bulbophyllum Du Petit Thouars have been reported from West Bengal along with the key for identification of taxa, based on field characters which can be easily observed. INTRODUCTION West Bengal lies between 2 F 3 8 ' - 27°10' N Latitude and 85°50' - 89°50' E Longitude, comprising of an area of about 87,616 sq km. Politically the State is bounded on the north by Sikkim and Bhutan, on the east by Assam and Bangladesh, on the south by the rolling wave of Bay of Bengal and in the West by Jharkhand. For easy administration the State is divided into 19 districts. This vast land of West Bengal is divided into 3-main phytogeographical zones - (a) Plains of South Bengal, (b) Plains of North Bengal and (c) Hills of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts. Prain (1903a) had divided the plains of West Bengal into the 4-botanical divisions which are (i) West Bengal proper lying between the river Bhagirathi-Hooghly and Chotanagpur plateau, (ii) a part of North Bengal, adjacent to river Ganga, (hi) the strip of land lying east of the Bhagirathi and (iv) the western part of Sundarbans. These botanical zonations have been created under the influence of diverse geological and climatological variations. Climatic conditions vary from the warm and humid sea coast of Bay of Bengal to the cool and humid high mountains of the Darjeeling hills and the warm drier western plateau. The plains of North Bengal, including the Terai region of Darjeeling district, Jalpaiguri, Koch Behar, Uttar and Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda districts and the Kurseong, Kalimpong and Darjeeling subdivisions of Darjeeling district, receive a handsome rains, resulting in a number of rivers and rivulets, besides the the hilly tracts of the State often experience the snowfall in winter. 224 J. Econ. Taxon. Bot. Vol. 34 No. 1 (2010) Thus, this diverse phytogeographical General characters of the genus are as condition has fovoured the growth of orchids follows : along with a rich diversified flora comprising Epiphytes or litho phytic plants with a of 3580 taxa distributed in 1333 genera under sympodial growth, have a rhizomatous stem 200 families. with often angled single noded pseudobulb. 1Orchids, commonly called for the 2 succulent leaves are developed on the top of members of Orchidaceae, normally grow as the pseudobulb. Inflorescence solitary or few epiphytes or often as lithophytes or some- to many-flowered raceme or umbel arising at times as saprophytes. It is one of the most the base of the pseudobulb or even directly diversified plant families of angiosperms from the rhizome. Flowers are arranged spircomprising of 18,500 species under 788 ally or in two vertical ranks. Lateral sepals genera (Mabberley, 1997), mainly distributed are variously connate or free. Petals are free in tropical, subtropical to subtemperate regi- lip is single or 3-lobed. Column short, toothed ons of the globe. In India, Orchidaceae is the or winged at apex, with foot. Pollinia 4, waxy, second most diversified family comprising of often with stipes. Fruits are beakless capsule. 184 genera and 1229 species (Karthikeyan, 2000), after Poaceae. In West Bengal also this feature does not differ from the Indian scenario, since it comprises of 322 species under 79 genera (Hegde, 1990). Among the 788 genera of the family Orchidaceae, the genus Bulbophyllum is most diversified genus comprising of 1000 species (Mabberley, I.e.). Louis-Marie Aubert du Petit Thouars (known as Thouars in Botanical World) first described this genus in his book "Histoire Particuliere des Plantes Orchidees recuellies surles trois lies Australes d' Afrique de France, de Bourban et de Madagascar", where he described 17 Bulbophyllum species. The generic name Bulbophyllum was derived from the Latin word Bulbus, means Bulb like, and the Greek word Phyllon means leaf, referring to the pseudobulb at the apex of which the leaf is growing. The genus is distributed from SE Asia to Australia, Africa, tropical America, Madagascar, and the Mascarene Island. In India, the genus is represented by 86 species, of which in 36 species have been reported from West Bengal (Hegde, 1990). MATERIALS AND METHODS In the present paper an attempt has been made to enumerate the members of Bulbophyllum Thouars reported. Strictly from the political boundary of the State West Bengal. Some taxa of Bulbophyllum which are previously reported from West Bengal State have been excluded here, because these taxa are actually reported from Sikkim, Bhutan or Nepal region. The present list of the species of Bulbophyllum is entirely based on the field observations, perusal of available literature and screening of the herbarium specimens deposited at CAL, ASSAM, (SHC), and Lloyd Botanic Garden Herbarium, Darjeeling. The members of Bulbophyllum normally grow as an epiphyte, but often found as lithophytes. The single noded pseudobulb is often functioning as the organ for photosynthesis. In the present study, species are enumMost of the species have a typical odour of erated alphabetically with valid scientific rotting carcasses, which attracts the flies to name and important synonymous/basionym, help in their pollination process. phenology, distributional and taxonomic or 225 Mitra & Mukherjee other notes, wherever needed. The key to 13a. Inflorescence less than 5-flowered (usually 4) B. reptans species has been provided here based on the major morphological characters which can be 13b. Inflorescence more than 10-flowered 14 easily assessed even in the field.. 14a. Epichile pubescent on upperside B. bisetum 14b. Epichile glabrous on upper side 15 Key to the species 15a. Lip glandular to ciliate B. eublepharum 16 la. Leaf solitary 2 15b. Lip glandular lb. Leaf not solitary 33 16a. Pseudobulb conical-globose to ovoid, upto 8 x 2.8 cm; stilidia long aristate B. careyanum 2a. Pseudobulb absent 3 2b. Pseudobulb present 7 16b. Pseudobulb depressed turbinate to subcorneal, upto 2 x 1.5 cm; stilidia minute... B. thomsonii 3a. Inflorescence more than 2-flowered 4 17a. Pseudobulb less than 5 mm long 18 3b. Inflorescence 2-flowered B. hymenanthum 17b. Pseudobulb more than 10 mm long 19 4a. Inflorescence raceme 5 18a. Pseudobulb 2.5 x 4 mm; inflorescence 3 to 4b. Inflorescence capitate B. xylophyflum 7-flowered; peduncle 7-7.8 cm 5a. Corolla lip papillose towards base long B. surcophyllum B. cylindraceum 18b. Pseudobulb 1.5 x 1.5 mm; inflorescence 5b. Corolla lip not papillose towards base 6 5 to 6-flowered; peduncle 1-1.4 cm 6a. Floral bract ovate to ovate-lanceolate; flowers long B. sarcophylloides dark purple; lip brown B. khasianum 19a. Inflorescence developed from the base of 6b. Floral bract lanceolate-triangular; flowers pale pseudobulb and as well as on rhizome 20 green; lip not as above B. apodum 19b. Inflorescence developed only from the base of 7a. Inflorescence one-flowered (solitary) 8 pseudobulb 22 7b. Inflorescence more than one flowered 11 20a. Inflorescence less than 3 mm high; petals 1- nerved 21 8a. Lateral sepals much longer than dorsal one, centrally connate, twisted B. putidum 20b. Inflorescence more than 5 cm high; petals 3nerved B. striatum 8b. Lateral sepals almost equally to the dorsal one, free throughout the length, not twisted 9 21a. Leaf oblong to oblong-elliptic, 10 x 3 cm; petiole upto 1.5 cm long B.cauliflorum 9a. Flowers with purple blotched.... B. leopardinum 21b. Leaf narrowly oblong, 2.8 x 1 cm; petiole 9b. Flowers more or less uniformly coloured, not mostly absent, if present, less than 5 mm with blotched 10 long B. leptanthum 10a Leaves more than 7 cm long; flowers with red strip; lip not ciliate B. affine 22a. Pseudobulb curved B. yoksunense 10b Leaves less than 4 cm long; flowers not 22b. Pseudobulb not curved 23 striped; lip ciliate B. tortuosum 23a. Lip glandular, pubescent.... B. odoratissimum 11a. Inflorescence raceme 12 23b. Lip non glandular; glabrous or papillose 24 l i b . Inflorescence not raceme (umbel or capitate 24a. Lateral sepals are connate 25 or subumbel) 17 24b. Lateral sepals free throughout 29 12a. Flowers born on one sides of rachis 25a. Pseudobulb distant; more than 3 cm apart B. polyrhizum B. andersonii 12b. Flowers born on all sides of rachis 13 226 J. Econ. Taxon. Bot. Vol. 34 No. 1 (2010) 25b. Pseudobulb crowded, less than 3 cm apart Sarcopodium affine (Lindl.) Lindl. in Paxton, Fl. 26 Gard. 1:155.1850, in Obs. 26a. Lip margin recurved B. muscicola Phyllorchis affinis (Lindl.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 2 : 26b. Lip margin flat, not recurved 27 677.1891. - " y~ y 27a. Lateral sepals connate at middle B. retusiusculum Distribution - West Bengal: Jalpaiguri 27b. Lateral sepals connate either at apex or at (Buxa), Darjeeling (Darjeeling, Kalimpong); India: its base but always free at margin 28 Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Himachal „ „ _ _, „ „ _ , Pradesh, Uttaranchal; Other countries: Nepal, 28a. Inflorescence 5 to 12-flowered; flowers ochre, „, , . .. , , ~ ,,. , , , , . Bhutan, China, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Japan, with reddish brown spot; lateral sepals Cambodia connate at apex B. roxburghii , _ , Note : Common, epiphytic orchid, found up to 28b. Inflorescence 3 to 5-flowered; flowers pale jg Q altitude yellow, without any spot; lateral sepals cannate at base B. scabratum " Bulbophyllum andersonii (Hook/.) J.J. Smith in Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenz. Ser. 2. 8 : 22. 1912. 29a. Pseudobulb less than 1 cm apart 30 . , , Cirrhopetalum andersonii Hook./. Fl. Brit. India 5 : 29b. Pseudobulb more than 1 cm apart 31 jggg 30a. Peduncle more than 15 cm in height Phyllorchis andersonii (Hook/.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. pi. 2 : 677.1891. 30b. Peduncle less than 10 cm in height Cirrhopetalum henryi Rolfe in J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 36 : B. pilutifenum ^ 1903 31a. Peduncle more than 15 cm high Bulbophyllum henryi (Rolfe) J.J. Smith in Bull. Suttulatum . 8 : 25.1912. 31b. Peduncle less than 10 cm high 32 , , . .. „ n n c -a <• Cirrhopetalum rivesu Gagnep. in Bull. Soc. Bot. 32a. Flowers uniformly coloured, more than 10 France 78 : 7. 1931. mm across; petals 1-nerved B. gamblei ^ _ . 32b. Flowers purple to yellow and dark purple .. „ . „ . , . , , , . Distribution - West Bengal : Jalpaiguri spotted less than 1 0 c m across; petals . . 3-nerved B . rolfei . Myanmar, Vietnam, _ . 33a. Plant synanthous B. viridiflonum ^ . 33b. Plant hysteranthous 34 herbarium specimens are deposited at CAL, SHC, 34a. Inflorescence glandular pubescent... B. hirtum and in Lloyd Botanic Garden herbarium, 34b. Inflorescence eglandular, glabrous mostly, Darjeeling, but during present study this species rarely pubescent 35 could not be recollected. 35a. Peduncle erect; flowers less than 10 mm long 3. Bulbophyllum apodum Hook/. Fl. Brit. India 5 B. tiiste : 766. 1890. 35b. Peduncle decurved; flowers more than 10 mm Phyllorchis apoda (Hook/.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 2 long B . wallichii • Bulbophyllum ebulbum King & Pantl. in J. Asiat. ENUMERATION Soc. Bengal. 64 : 334. 1895. Fl. & Fr. - May - June 1. Bulbophyllum affine Lindl. Gen. Sp. Orchid. PI. 48. 1830. 227 Fl & F r M a J u l T T Q m 2 B e l a t u m R J a r d B o t B u i t e n z S e r 2 b e r 6 n & S e p t e m n D a r ; j e e l i n g Q t h e rc Q c t o h e r ¥ o u n t r i T 6 6 7 1 8 9 L e s h o I T n d i a S i k k i m > N E I n d i a ; C h i n a > u g h t g m l i t e r a t u r e a n d Mitrd & Mukherjee Distribution - West Bengal : Darjeeling (Sevoke, 450 m., Kalimpong); India : Sikkim; Other countries : Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Philippines. Note : Hegde (1900) mentioned it (syn. B. apdodum King & Pantl.) as an endemic orchid (Sikkim - Darjeeling Himalaya-Arunachal Pradesh), but its distributional record shows that it is distributed in various other parts outside India also. 4. Bulbophyllum put id urn (Teij sm. & Binn.) J.J. Smith in Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenz. ser. 2. 8: 27.1912. Cirrhopetalum putidum Teijsm. & Benn. in Tijdschr. mederl. Ind. 24 : 311.1862. C. appendiculatum Rolfe in Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1901: 148. 1901. C. ornatissimum sensu Hook/. Fl. Brit. India 5 : 773.1890, non Reichb/. 1882. Bulbophyllum appendiculatum (Rolfe) J.J. Smith in Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenz. Ser. 2 . 8 : 22.1912 Mastigion appendiculatum (Rolfe) Garay, Hamer & Siegerist in Nordic J. Bot. 14 : 637.1994. Fl. & Fr. - October - November Distribution - West Bengal : Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling (Teesta valleys); India : Sikkim; Other countries: Bhutan, Borneo, Philippines. 5. Bulbophyllum bisetum Lindl. in Ann. Nat. Hist. 10 : 186. 1842; Hook/. Fl. Brit. India. 5 : 767. 1890; King & Pantl. in Ann. Royal Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8 : 73. t. 99. 1898; Banerjee & Pradhan, Orchids Nepal Himal. 364. 1984; Pearce & Cribb., Fl. Bhutan 3 : 450. 2002. 6. Bulbophyllum careyanum (Hook.) Sprengel, Syst. Veg. 3 : 732. 1826. Anisopetalon careyanum Hook. Exot. Fl. 2 : t. 149. 1825. Pleurothallis purpurea D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal. 33. 1825. Tribrachia purpurea (D. Don) Lindl, Coll. Bot. Sub.t. 41a. 1826. Bulbophyllum cupreum sensu Hook, in Bot. Mag. 88 t. 5316. 1826. non Lindl. B. careyanum (Hook) Sprengel var. ochracsum Hook/. Fl. Brit. India 5 : 760.1890. Phyllorchis purpurea (D. Don.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 2 : 676. 1891. Fl. & Fr. - October - April Distribution - West Bengal: Jalpaiguri (Buxa Tigre Reserve), Darjeeling, (Kalimpong, Teesta valley); India : Meghalaya, N. E. India, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal; Other countries: Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam. Note : Very common orchid and it is often found in cultivation also. 7. Bulbophyllum cauliflorum Hook/, in Hook. Ic. PI. t. 2036.1890 et. Fl. Brit. India 5 : 758. 1890. Phyllorchis cauliflorum (Hook/.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 2 : 677. 1891. Bulbophyllum protractum sensu King & Pantl. in Ann. Royal. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8 : 81. t. 111. 1898., non Hook/. 1890. B. cauliflorum Hook.f. var. sikkimensis Pearce & Gribb. in Edin. J. Bot. 58 (1): 108. 2001. Fl. & Fr. - May - July Distribution - West Bengal : Darjeeling B. cirrhopetaloides Griff. Not. PI. Asiat. 3 : 290. (Chungthang, Teesta Valley up to elevation of 1500 1857. m); India : Sikkim, Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya; Phyllorchis biseta (Lindl.) Kuntze. Rev. Gen. PI. 2 : Other countries: Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam. 677. 1891. 8. Bulbophyllum cylindraceum Wall, ex Lindl. Fl. & Fr. - July - October Gen. Sp. Orchid. PI. 53. 1830. Distribution - West Bengal: Jalpaiguri B. imbricatum Griff. Not. PI. Asiat. 3 : 289. 1851. (Buxa), Darjeeling; India : Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim; Other countries: Thailand. Phyllorchis cylindraceum (Wall, ex Lindl.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 2 : 677.1891. Note : In West Bengal, it is very scare. Fl. & Fr. - October - January 228 J. Econ. Taxon. Bot. Vol. 34 No. 1 (2010) Distribution - West Bengal : Darjeeling, locality is not mentioned precisely; India : Sikkim, Meghalaya; Other countries : Nepal. 9. Bulbophyllum elatum (Hook/.) J. J. Smith in Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenz. Ser. 2. 8 : 23. 1912. Cirrhopetalum elatum Hook/. Fl. Brit. India 5 : 775. 1890. Phyllorchis elata (Hook/.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 2 : 677. 1891. Fl. & Fr. - May - August Distribution - West Bengal : Darjeeling (Jaldacca project area, Kalimpong); India : Nagaland, Meghalaya, Assam, Sikkim; Other countries: Nepal, Bhutan, China. 10. Bulbophyllum eublepharum Reichb/. in Walp. Ann. 6 : 252. 1861; Hook. f. Fl. Brit. India 5 : 764. 1890. Distribution - West Bengal: Jalpaiguri (Buxa tiger reserve), Darjeeling (Lebong); India : Sikkim. Other countries: Bhutan, Nepal. Note : It is very uncommon, and probably an endemic species to this region. 13. Bulbophyllum guttulatum (Hook/.) N. P. Balakrishnan in J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 67 : 66.1970. B. umbellatum sensu Lindl. in Edw. Bot. Reg. 30 : t. 44.1844, non. Lindl. 1830. Cirrhopetalum guttulatum Hook/. Fl. Brit. India 5 : 776. 1890. Fl. & Fr. - April - September Distribution - West Bengal : Jalpaiguri (Amchupani village of Buxa Tigar Reserve), Darjeeling; India : Sikkim, Uttaranchal, Assam; Other countries: Nepal, Bhutan, China, Vietnam. Phyllorchis eublepharum (Reichb/.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 2 : 677. 1891. Fl. & Fr. - July - September Distribution - West Bengal : Darjeeling (Kalimpong); India : North East India, Sikkim, Other countries: Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar. 11. Bulbophyllum gamblei (Hook/.) Hook/, in Hook. Ic. PI. 3 : t. 2039b. 1890 & Fl. Brit. India 6 : 188.1890. 14. Bulbophyllum hirtum (J. E. Smith) Lindl. Gen. Sp. Orchid. 51. 1830. Stelis hirta J. E. Smith in Rees, Cyclop. 34 : Stelis, no. 11.1819. Tribrachia hirta (J. E. Smith) Lindl. Coll. Bot. 41. 1826. Bulbophyllum suava Griff. Not. PI. Asiat. 3 : 292. 1851. Phyllorchis hirta (J. E. Smith) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 2: 677. 1891. B. leptanthum Hook. f. var. gamblei Hook/. Fl. Brit. India 5 : 759.1890. Fl. & Fr. - May - July Phyllorchis gamblei (Hook/.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. Distribution - West Bengal : Darjeeling; 2 : 677. 1891. India : Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim; Other countries : Thailand, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Fl. & Fr. - July - August Distribution - West Bengal : Darjeeling China, Vietnam. (Teesta valley up to an elevation of 1800 m); India: 15. Bulbophyllum hymenanthum Hook/, in Sikkim, N.E. India; Other countries: Bhutan. Hook Ic. PI. 3 : t. 2046. 1890 et Fl. Brit. India 5 : 767. 1890. Bulbophyllum xylophyllum Par. & Reich, f. in Phyllorchis hymenantha (Hook/.) Kuntze, Rev. Trans. Linn. Soc. 30 :151. 1874. Gen. PI. 2 : 677. 1891. Bulbophyllum gracilipes King & Pantl. in J. Asiat. Fl. & Fr. - May - July Soc. Bengal 65 (2) : 119. 1896 et in Ann. Royal. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8 : 77. t. 105.1898. Distribution - West Bengal : Darjeeling; India : Assam, Meghalaya; Other countries : Fl. & Fr. - September - November Bhutan, Thailand. 229 Mitrd & Mukherjee 16. Bulbophyllum khasianum Griff., Not. PI. Asiat. 3 : 284.1851. B. conchiferum. Reichb./ . in Walp. Ann. Bot. Syst. 6 : 253. 1861; Hook. f. Fl. Brit. India 5 : 766.1890. B. gibsonii Lindl. ex Reichb. f. in Gard. Chron. n.s. 16 : 716. 1878, nam. nud. B. bowringianum Reichb./". in Gard. Chron. n.s. 15 : 814. 1881. B. cylindraceum Lindl. var. khasianum (Griff.) Hook/". Fl. Brit. India 5 : 765. 1890. Phyllorchis conchifera (Rechib./l) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 2 : 677. 1891. Fl. & Fr. - October - January Distribution - West Bengal: Darjeeling (Kalimpong); India : Meghalaya, Nagaland, Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttaranchal; Other countries : Nepal, Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Thailand. - - 19. Bulbophyllum muscicola Reichb./ . in Flora 55. 275. 1872. Cirrhopetalum wallichii Lindl. Gen. Sp. Orchid. PI. 59.1830, non Lindl. 1839. C. hookeri Duthie in J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal 71 (2) : 38. 1902. Bulbophyllum hookeri (Duthie) J.J. Smith in Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenz. Ser. 2. 8 : 25. 1912. B. wallichii (Lindl.) Merill. & Metcalf in Lingnam Sri. J. 21 (1-4): 7. 1945, non Reichb f. 1861. Fl. & Fr. - September - January Distribution - West Bengal : Darjeeling; India : Sikkim, Assam; Other countries : Nepal, Bhutan. 20. Bulbophyllum odoratissimum (J. E. Smith) Lindl. Gen. Sp. Orchid. PI. 55. 1830. Stelis odoratissima J. E. Smith in Rees, Cyclop 34 : Stelis no 12. 1819. 17. Bulbophyllum leopardinum (Wall.) Lindl. Gen. Sp. Orchid. PI. 48. 1830. S. caudata D. Don. Prodr. Fl. Nepal. 32. 1825. Dendrobium leopardinum Wall. Tent. Fl. Nepal. 39 Tribrachia odoratissima (J. E. Smith) Lindl. Coll. : t. 28. 1826. Bot. sub. t. 41. 1826. Sarcopodium leopardinum (Wall.) Lindl. in Paxton, Phyllorchis odoratissima (J. E. Smith) Kuntze, Rev. Fl. Gard. 1: 155. 1850. Gen. 2 : 677. 1891. Phyllorchis leopardina (Wall.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. Bulbophyllum congestum Rolfe in Bull. Misc. 2:677.1891. Inform. Kew 1912 : 131.1912. Fl. & Fr. - October - April B. hyacinthiodorum W W . Smith in Notes Royal Bot. Gard. Edinburg 13:190.1921. var. odoratiDistribution - West Bengal : Jalpaiguri ssmum (Adma of Buxa Tiger Reserve forest), Darjeeling; India : Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Sikkim, Fl. & Fr. - April - August (September) Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Distribution - West Bengal : Darjeeling Manipur, Mizoram; Other countries : Nepal, (Tessta valley, Sevok); India : Nagaland, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand. Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Assam, Sikkim; 18. Bulbophyllum leptanthum Hook./". Fl. Brit. Other countries : Nepal, Bhutan, China, India 5 : 759. 1890. Myanmar, Thialand, Loas, Vietnam, Cambodia. Phyllorchis leptantha (Hook./".) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 21. Bulbophyllum piluliferum King & Pantl. in PI. 2 : 667.1891. Ann. Royal Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8 : 76. t. 104. 1898. Fl. & Fr. - July - September Fl. &Fr.- April -July Distribution - West Bengal : Darjeeling; India: Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim. Distribution - West Bengal : Darjeeling; Note : It is an endemic orchid in Eastern India : Sikkim, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Negaland; Other countries: Nepal. Himalayan region (Hedge, 1990). 230 J. Econ. Taxon. Bot. Vol. 34 No. 1 (2010) 22. Bulbophyllum polyrhizium Lindl. Gen. Sp. Orchid PI. 53. 1830. Phyllorchis polyrhiza (Lindl.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 2 : 677.1891. Fl. & Fr. - March - June Distribution-West Bengal: Darjeeling (Teesta valley, Kalimpong); India : Assam, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Sikkim, Orissa; Other countries : China, Myanmar, Thailand. 23. Bulbophyllum reptans (Lindl.) Lindl. Gen. Sp. Orchid PI. 51. 1830. Tribrachia reptans Lindl. Coll. Bot. t. 41a . 1826. Stelis racemosa J. E. Smith in Rees, Cycl. 34 : stelis no. 10. 1819. Bulbophyllum grandiflorum Griff. Itin. PI. Khasyah Mts. 146. no. 705. 1848. B. clarkei Reichb/. in Flora 7 1 : 155. 1888. B. reptans (Lindl.) Lindl. var. subracemosa Hook/. Fl. Brit. India 5 : 769. 1890. B. ombrophyllum Gagnep in Bull. Mus. Paris 22 : 401.1960. Sunipia racemosa (J.E. Smith) T. Tang. & F.T. Wang in Acta Phytotax. Sin. 1 (1): 90. 1951. lone racemosa (J. E. Smith) Seidenpaden in Bot. Tidsskr. 64 : 227.1969. Cirrhopetalum confusum Gar ay, Hamer & Sisgerist in Nordic J. Bot. 14 (16): 622. 1994. Fl. & Fr. - (June) July - December Distribution- West Bengali Darjeeling (Tonglu); India : Assam, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland; Other countries: Nepal, Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Yunnan, Cambodia, Laos, Taiwan, Szechuan. 25. Bulbophyllum rolfei (Kuntze) Seidenfaden in Dansk. Bot. Ark. 33 (3): 149. 1979. Cirrhopetalum parvulum Hook/. Fl. Brit. India 5 : 778. 1890. Phyllorchis rolfei Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 2 : 276. 1891. Cirrhopetalum dyerianum King & Pantl. in J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal 64 (3): 335. 1895. Bulbophyllum parvulum sensu J.J. Smith in Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenz. Ser. 2. 8:27.1912, non Lindl. 1830. B. dyerianum (King. & Pantl.) Seidenfaden in Dansk. Bot. Ark. 29 (1): 176. t. 88 1975. Fl. & Fr. - June - October Distribution - West Bengal : Darjeeling; India : Assam, Sikkim; Other countries : Nepal, Bhutan. 26. Bulbophyllum roxburghii (Lindl.) Reichb/. in Bulbophyllum reptans (Lindl.) Lindl. var. acuta Walp. Ann. Bot. Syst. 6 : 263. 1861. Malhotra & Balodi in Bull. Bot. Surv. India 26 Cirrhopetalum roxburghii Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orchid. (1 & 2 ) : 110.1984. PI. 58. 1830. Fl. & Fr. - October - June Aerides radiatum Roxb., Fl. Ind. 3 : 476.1832. Distribution - West Bengal: Jalpaiguri (Buxa Tiger Reserve), Darjeeling (Rishop, Teesta valley, Cirrhopetalum sikkimense King & Pantl. in Ann. Royal Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8 : 90. t. 125.1898. Kalimpong); India : Uttaranchal, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram; Bulbophyllum sikkimense (King & Pantl.) J.J. Other countries : Nepal, Bhutan, China, Smith, Rev. Gen. 2 (8): 28.1912. Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam. Fl. & Fr. - April - October 24. Bulbophyllum retusiusculum Reichb. f. in Distribution - West Bengal : Darjeeling Gard. Chron. 1182. 1869. (Teesta valley); India : Nagaland, Arunachal PraCirrhopetalum retusiusculum (Reichb. /.) Hemesly desh; Other countries: Sikkim, Nepal, Bhutan. in Gard. Chron. n.s. 18 : 365. 1882. 27. Bulbophyllum sarcophylloides Garay. Hamen & Siegerist in Nordic J. Bot. 14 (6): 620. Bulbophyllum langbianense Seidenfaden & 1994. Smitinand, Orchid Thailand 798. 1965. 231 Mitrd & Mukherjee Cirrhopetalum sarcophyllum King & Pantl. var. minor King & Pantl. in Ann. Royal Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8 : 91. 1898. Fl. & Fr. - May - June (July) Distribution - West Bengal : Darjeeling (Sevoka, Teesta valley upto 300 m); India : Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim; Other countries : Nepal, Bhutan. 28. Bulbophyllum sarcophyllum (King & Pantl.) J. Smith, in Bull. Jord. Bot. Buitenz. ser. 2. 8 : 27.1912. Cirrhopetalum sarcophyllum King. & Pant, in J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal 64. 335. 1895. Bulbophyllum panigrahinum Mishra in Nordic J. Bot. 6 (1): 25. 1986. Fl. & Fr. - April - September Distribution - West Bengal: Jalpaiguri (Buxa Tiger Reserve), Darjeeling (Rishop, Sevoke); India : Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Sikkim; Other countries: Bhutan. 29. Bulbophyllum scabratum Reichb/. in Walp. Ann. Bot. Syst. 6 : 259. 1861. Cirrhopetalum coespitosum Wall, ex Lindl. in Edw. Bot. Reg. 24 : misc. 35. 1838. Bulbophyllum confertum Hook/. Fl. Brit. India 5 : 757. 1890. Fl. & Fr. - April - November Distribution - West Bengal : Darjeeling (Chunthang); India : Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim; Other countries: Nepal, Bhutan. 30. Bulbophyllum striatum (Griff.) Reichb/. in Walp. Ann. Bot. Syst. 6 : 257. 1861. Dendrobium striatium Griff., Notul. 3 : 318. 1851. Sarcopodium striata (Griff.) Lindl. Fol. Orchid Sarcoprodium 2 : 5. No. 12. 1853. Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim; Other countries: Nepal, Bhutan. 31. Bulbophyllum thomsonii Hook/. Fl. Brit. India. 5 : 764. 1890. Phyllorchis thomsonii (Hook/.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 2 : 678. 1892. Fl. & Fr. - June - October Distribution - West Bengal : Darjeeling; India : Arunacal Pradesh, Assam, Sikkim, Nagaland; Other countries: Nepal, Bhutan. 32. Bulbophyllum tortusum (Bl.) Lindl. Gen. Sp. Orchid. PI. 50. 1830. Diphyses tortuosa Bl. Bijdr. 311. 1825. Phyllorchis tortusa (Bl.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 2 : 678. 1891. Bulbophyllum listeri King & Pantl. in J. Asiat.Soc. Bengal 64 : 334. t. 1895. et Ann. Royal Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8 : 66. t. 90. 1898. Fl. & Fr. - February - April Distribution - West Bengal : Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri; India : Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim; Other countries : Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Nepal, Bhutan. 33. Bulbophyllum triste Reichb/. in Walp. Ann. Bot. Syst. 6 : 253. 1861. B. alopecurum Reichb/. in Gard. Chron. 2 : 70. 1880. B. micranthum Hook/. Fl. Brit. India 5 : 768.1890. Phyllorchis alopecurus (Reichb/.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 2 : 677. 1891. P. micrantha (Hook/) Kuntze loc. cit. 1891. P. tristis (Reichb/.) Kuntze, loc. cit. 1891. Fl. & Fr. - February - August Distribution - West Bengal : Darjeeling; India : Orissa, Sikkim Himachal Pradesh, MeghaPhyllorchis striata (Griff.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 2 : laya, Arunachal Pradesh; Other countries : Nepal, 678.1891. Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Thailand. Bulbophyllum striatitepalum Seidenfaden in Nordic 34. Bulbophyllum viridiflorum (Hook/.) Schltr. J. Bot. 2 (3): 195. 1982. in Orchids 4 : 108. 1910. Fl. & Fr. - September - November Cirrhopetalum viridiflorum Hook./ . Fl. Brit. India 5 Distribution - West Bengal: Jalpaiguri (Buxa : 779. 1890. Tiger Reserve), Darjeeling; India : Assam, - J. Econ. Taxon. Bot. Vol. 34 No. 1 (2010) Phyllorchis viridiflora (Hook/) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 2 : 678.1891. Fl. & Fr. - June - November Distribution - West Bengal : Darjeeling (Rangeet river valley, Bongbasti Kalimpong); India : Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Sikkim; Other countries: Nepal, Bhutan. 35. Bulbophyllum wallichii Reichb/. in Walp. Ann. Bot. Syst. 6 : 259. 1861. Cirrhopetalum wallichii Lindl. in Bot. Reg. 25 : misc. 72. No. 119. 1839, non Lindl. 1830. C. refractum sensu Hook/. Fl. Brit. India 5 : 779. 1890, non Zollinger 1847. Bulbophyllum refractoides Seidenfaden in Bot. Tidsskr. 65 : 342. 1970. Fl. & Fr. - September - December Distribution - West Bengal : Darjeeling; India : Nagaland, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram; Other countries : Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos. reported 79 species of Bulbophyllum. Prain (1903a) reported only one species of Bulbophyllum from the then Bengal province. Mai lick (1966) reported 6 orchid species from the district Purulia (W.B.) but that list is devoid of any species of the genus Bulbophyllum. Mukherjee (1972) also studied the orchids of North Bengal plain, but in that list any species of Bulbophyllum has not been included. Hegde (1990) studied the orchids of West Bengal and reported 322 species under 79 genera, of which 36 species have been included under Bulbophyllum. Bist & Katham (1990) reported 146 species of orchids from Buxa Tiger Reserve, of which 16 species belongs to the genus Bulbophyllum. In the present study, total of 36 species of Bulbophyllum have been reported from the State of West Bengal, conforming the findings of Hegde (1990) with little emendments, viz. the species like B. cornucenei King & Pantl. and B. gymnopus Hook./ , are excluded from the list previously prepared by Hedge (1990), because these two species represent Sikkim State. B. ornatissimum (Richb. f.) J.J. Smith is also excluded from the present study as it is a horticultural species and extremely rare in wild state. - 36. Bulbophyllum yoksunense J. J. Smith in Bull. Bot. Jard. Buitenz. ser. 2. 8 : 29. 1912. Cirrhopetalum brevipes Hook/ Fl. Brit. India 5 : 777.1890, non Bulbophyllum brevipes Ridl. 1903. Phyllorchis brevipes (Hook/.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 2:677. 1891. Bulbophyllum brachypodium Rao & Balakr. var. paviflorum A. S. Rao & N. P. Balakrishnan in Bull. Bot. Surv. India 10 (3-4): 350.1969. Fl. & Fr. - August - November Distribution - West Bengal: Jalpaiguri (Buxa Tiger Reserve), Darjeeling (Bongbasti, RishopKalimpong); India : Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim; Other countries: Nepal, Bhutan. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Among these 36 species of Bulbophyllum, B. gamblei ( H o o k / . ) H o o k / , and B. gracilipes King and Pantl. are two endemic orchids of Sikkim - Darjeeling hills of Himalaya. B. leopardinum (Wall.) Lindl. and B. retuisiusculum Reichb.f., two rare and endangered orchids of eastern Himalayas, are also reported from the State. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Authors are thankful to Dr. M. SanjaIn West Bengal, collection of orchids had ppa, Director, BSI, Dr. M.S. Mondal, Add. been started from the time of Roxburgh Director CNH, Dr. H.S. Debnath, Curator, (1814). J.D. Hooker in his monumental works Indian Museum of Industrial Section, BSI for "Flora of British India" Vol. V and VI 233 Mitra & Mukherjee providing necessary permission for screening HOOKER, J.D. 1888-1890. Flora of British India, Vol. V & VI. London. specimens at (CAL) and (BSHO) Herbaria. Authors are also thankful to the Curator, KING, J. & PANTLING, R. 1898. The Orchids of Sikkim Himalaya. Royal Bot. Garden, Calcutta. Lloyd Botanic Garden, Darjeeling for giving permission to screen the herbarium and also KRISHNA BIJAY & S.N. DAS 1976. Five unreported orchids from Northern districts of West for providing necessary helps during the Bengal. Bull. Bot. Surv. India 18 (1-4): 224. study. MABBERLEY, D.J. 1997. The Plant Book. Cambridge. REFERENCES MALLICK, K C . 1966. A contribution to the flora of BIST, S.S. & TAPAN, KATHAM 1999. Status of Purulia District. West Bengal. Bull. Bot. Surv. Orchids in Buxa Tiger Reserve. Indian Forester India 8 (1): 57. 125 (5): 460-489. MATHEW, K M . 1966. A preliminary list of plants BRUHL, P. 1926. A Guide to the Orchids of Sikkim. from Kurseong. Bull. Bot. Surv. India 8(2): 156Calcutta. 157. GHOSH, B.N. 1968. Beautiful Indian Orchids. G. MUKHERJEE, S.K 1972. Orchids of plains of Ghosh Co. Sown End., Darjeeling. North Bengal. Bull. Bot. Surv. India 14 : 92-103. HAINES, H.H. 1974. The Botany of Bihar and PRAIN, D. 1903a. Bengal Plants, Vol. I & II. London. Orissa. London. 1903b. Flora of Sundarbans. Rec. Bot. HARA, H. 1966. Flora of Eastern Himalaya. Tokyo. Surv. India. 2 (4): 352-399. HEGDE, S.N. 1979. Orchids conservation and commercialization strategies in Arunachal ROXBURGH, W. 1814. Hortus Benghalesis. Serampore. Pradesh. Arunachal Forest News 3 (3): 1-11. 1990. Enumeration of native orchids SARKAR, P.K 1995. Rare, endangered and endemic orchids in India. J. Econ. Taxon. Bot. Addl. of West Bengal vis-a-vis. Darjeeling Hills. J. Ser. 11: 33-47. Econ. Taxon. Bot. 14 (2): 287-304. 234