Rheedea
Vol.15 (1)
1-70
2 0 0 5
An Orchid Digest of Manipur,
Northeastern India
C. Sathish Kumar and P. C. Suresh Kumar
Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute
Palode, Thiruvananthapuram 695 562, Kerala, India.
Abstract
All orchids so far recorded from Manipur, Northeastern India are presented. This update has 280 species in 86 genera. It
includes a new genus Luisiopsis Sathish & Suresh, one new species Bulbophyllum manipurense Sathish & Suresh, two new
records for India – Bulbophyllum propinquum Krzl. and Phalaenopsis fasciata Rchb.f., one new combination Luisiopsis
inconspicua (Lindl.)Sathish & Suresh and several new state records. Dendrobium is the largest genus with 49 species
followed by Coelogyne (20 spp.), Cymbidium (15 spp.), Bulbophyllum (14 spp.), Eria (14 spp.), Oberonia (10 spp.), Vanda
(8 spp.), Liparis (8 spp.), Habenbaria (7 spp.), Peristylus (6 spp.) and Paphiopedilum (5 spp.). A brief historical account of
orchid collections in Manipur since George Watt’s pioneer attempt of 1881-1882 is provided. The looming slash-and-burn
cultivation practice prevalent in Manipur is the main threat to orchid flora. All the new and interesting taxa are illustrated
and described.
Keywords: Orchids, New genus, New species, Country and state records, Manipur.
Introduction
Manipur is a small state (23° 83´ N latitudes and 93 °
03´ - 94 ° 78´ E longitudes) in the Northeastern India
(Fig. 1). It is bordered on the north by Nagaland, south
by Mizoram and part of Myanmar, west by Assam
and east again by part of Myanmar. It has a total
geographical area of 22,327 sq. km with a central
valley of 2,238 sq. km and is fortified on all sides by
lofty mountains, the highest being Mount Tenupi of
Iso which is 2999 m (9,822ft) above sea level. The
valley is thickly populated by the Meities and the hills
sparsely by the Nagas and Kukis. The recent spurt of
violence by different insurgent outfits is making
Manipur an unsafe place for field studies. Leaving
this apart, Manipur is a botanical paradise and for
orchid lovers, it is Nature’s treasure trove opened.
Geologically, Manipur is made of Cretaceous lime
stones on the eastern side with tertiary rocks and
alluvium in the valleys. Average annual rainfall varies
from 122 (Imphal) to 398 cm (Tamenglong).
Temperature often goes down to -1°C in January and
gradually rises to 30°C in September. Relative
Humidity is the lowest in March (47%) and the
highest in August (81%).
Geographic position, varying altitudes, presence of
innumerable water bodies and the consequent microclimates have jointly contributed to the richness of
vegetation in Manipur. Sadly, the slash-and-burn
cultivation in practice has already destroyed much
of the primary forests of the state. The accounts of
forests given by Watt (1888) and Keith (1936) are the
things of the past.
The Earlier Collectors
George Watt (1851-1930) was the first European to
collect plants (1881-1882) from Manipur. His
collections included orchids and most of them are
now available at CAL and K. Watt did not publish
any taxonomic account of plants of Manipur but his
collections were studied by others, notably J. D.
Hooker who immortalized Watt through Dendrobium
wattii and Impatiens wattii, both based on Watt’s
collections from Manipur.
Charles Baron Clarke (1832-1906), a British botanist
while working as Inspector of Schools at Shillong,
explored Manipur in 1885 and made important
2 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
93
O
94
O
NAGALAND
Senapati
ASSAM
Imphal
25
O
Materials and Methods
Bishenpur
Th
ou
ba
l
Jiribam
Tamenglong
Ukhrul
Churachandpur
Chandel
Post independent India witnessed a few publications
on orchids of Manipur. Important among them are
those of Mukerjee (1953), Deb ( 1956, 1957, 1960, 1961),
Chauhan (249 spp. in 60 genera: 2001) and Phukan
(2002) (Fig. 2). State’s website (www.manipur.com)
contains many orchid photographs by Ranjan
(Runjohn) Laishram.
MYANMAR
24
O
MIZORAM
Collection locality
23
O
Figure 1. Map of Manipur
collections. In 1889, he published an exhaustive list of
‘plants from Kohima and Muneypore’ which included
Liparis spathulata Lindl., L. longipes Lindl., Agrostophyllum
khasianum Griff., Pholidota calceolata Lindl., Aerides
vandarum Rchb.f., Saccolabium ampullaceum Lindl.,
Zeuxine nervosa Benth. ex Hook. f. and Goodyera procera
Lindl. from Manipur. Clarke’s specimens are at K. Alfred
Karl Meebold (1863-1952) was a German world traveller
who botanized Manipur during 1906-1907. His
collections are available at CAL. Norman Loftus Bor
(1893-1972), an agrostologist of Irish origin, was another
botanist who visited Manipur several times between
1938 and 1945. His orchid collections, however, were
studied by others like Summerhayes et al.
Francis (Frank) Kingdon-Ward (1885-1958) was a
British traveller and ‘plant hunter’ who visited
Manipur in 1927, 1946 and 1948 and made a very large
collection of orchids and seeds, besides bulbs of other
plants. Most of his collections are located at many
European herbaria but a few stray collections are
available at CAL. Like the earlier collectors, KingdonWard did not publish any scientific account on his
vast collections but wrote prolific travel accounts.
‘Plant Hunter in Manipur’ (1952) is one of his famous
works. Summerhayes commemorated KingdonWard by the orchid Paphiopedilum wardii.
The senior author collected over 120 species of orchids
from Manipur during a one month long expedition
in 1996. These live specimens were brought down to
TBGRI and reared. As and when flowered, they were
critically studied, compared with authentic
specimens at CAL and identified. Experts like the late
Gunnar Seidenfaden and Paul Ormerod were
consulted, if found necessary. All the specimens cited
are deposited at TBGT unless otherwise mentioned.
Spirit samples of flowers have also been maintained.
In this enumeration, detailed descriptions and
illustrations are provided only for new and interesting
taxa. The alphabetical enumeration part has the genus
followed by a short paragraph on the general
distribution, key features, number of species in the
world, in India and Manipur. This is accompanied by
key to species when there are more than one. Species
enumeration has three components: nomenclature
citation, a general statement indicating historical
collections of species from Manipur and other details
containing flowering & fruiting, habitat, occurrence
within Manipur, general distribution, specimens
examined and a note on key character of species, if
any. If a species is included on the authority of an
earlier worker it is cited. Artificial keys, analytical
sketches, and photographs are given for easy
identification.
Detailed study at CAL and TBGT, besides
consultation of available literature on Manipur
orchids, enabled us to enumerate 281 species in 86
genera.It included the following:
New genus: Luisiopsis Sathish et Suresh
New combination: Luisiopsis inconspicua (Hook. f.)
Sathish et Suresh
New species: Bulbophyllum manipurense Sathish et
Suresh
New records for India: 1. Bulbophyllum propinquum
Krzl., 2. Dendrobium parcum Rchb. f. and 3.
Phalaenopsis fasciata Rchb. f.
New records for Manipur: 1. Cleisostoma discolor
Lindl., 2. Cleisostoma williamsonii (Rchb. f.) Garay,
3. Eria globulifera Seidenf. , 4. Vanda pumila Hook. f.
and 5. Vanilla parishii Rchb. f.
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
J. D. Hooker
C. B. Clarke
F. Kingdon-Ward
S. K. Mukerjee
N. L. Bor
D. B. Deb
S. J. Phukan
A. S. Chauhan
© Hunt Institute, 1999
George Watt
3
Figure 2. Pioneer orchid collectors of Manipur
4 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
Key to Genera
12a. Lip spurred at base ……………. Anoectochilus
1a.
12b. Lip spurless, saccate at base …… Odontochilus
1b.
2a.
2b.
Flowers with two anthers; lip slipper shaped;
lateral sepals fused to form a synsepal
..............….................................... Paphiopedilum
13a. Floral bracts larger than the flowers
………………………...………… Brachycorythis
Flowers with single anther; lip not slipper
shaped; lateral sepals either free or if fused
partially, not forming a synsepal………………2
13b. Floral bracts smaller than the flowers ………14
Leaves spirally arranged, convolute or
altogether absent; pollinia soft and mealy, sectile
or not ...............………………………………….3
14b. Anther bent back from column ………Satyrium
Leaves in two rows or rarely absent; pollinia
hard and waxy, 2-8 ………...............………… 18
15b. Stigmalobes not free ....……………………….16
14a. Anther erect …………………………......…… 15
15a. Stigmalobes free, each on a stigmaphore
extending from the column ….......…Habenaria
3a.
Plants with root-stem tuberoids; rostellum
shorter than the anther …………........……… 13
16a. Thecas at their base extending from column,
rostellum forming a broad band above the
coherent stigmalobes ………….....….. Pecteilis
3b.
Plants without root-stem tuberoids; rostellum
subequal to the anther ……...........…………….4
16b. Stigmalobes not freely extending in front of
column ………….......................………………..17
4a.
Flowers on a twisted spike; pollinia not sectile
…………………….................……….. Spiranthes
4b.
Flowers not on twisted spike; pollinia sectile
………………………................………………… 5
17a. Stigmalobes connate with or adpressed to
hypochile of lip and staminodes, with short
spur, ovary usually erect close to rachis
…………........................……………….Peristylus
5a.
Stems woody; leaves plicate ….............……… 6
5b.
Stems fleshy, herbaceous; leaves conduplicate
…………………….................………………….. 7
6a.
6b.
Stems branched; inflorescence unbranched; lip
widest at base …………................……. Tropidia
Stems unbranched; inflorescence branched; lip
widest at apex ……............………Corymborkis
17b. Stigmalobe not connate with base of lip, no spur,
staminodes raising free above anthers
……………………....………………Herminium
18a. Anther erect in early bud, later becoming
operculate; pollinia without stipes….....…….19
18b. Anther usually operculate; pollinia with a stipes
……………………….............................………….60
19a. Large vines; stigma emergent ………… Vanilla
7a.
Lip hairy or setose within …….. ……Goodyera
19b. Small herbs; stigma not emergent ……………20
7b.
Lip papillate within ...………………………….8
8a.
Saprophytes; flowers in axillary racemes or
fascicle……………..............…………… Cyrtosia
20a. Leaf solitary, appearing after flowering
………………...........…………………… Nervilia
20b. Leaves many, appearing together with flowers
...............................................................................21
8b.
Autophytes; flowers in terminal racemes ..…. 9
9a.
Leaves dark greenish-brown with golden or
silver veins……………..............……………….12
9b.
Leaves uniformly green without coloured veins
………………………......................…………… 10
21b. Inflorescence lateral with medium sized
flowers, if terminal the flowers smaller; dorsal
sepal less than 3.5 cm long ……….………… 24
10a. Tubers present, cylindric or ellipsoid
............................................................ Neottianthe
22a. Leaves conduplicate in bud ....……………… 23
21a. Inflorescence terminal with large flowers; dorsal
sepal 3.5-4 cm long…............................………. 22
10b. Tubers absent ..………………………………. 11
22b. Leaves convolute, plicate in bud..................
....................................................…Cephalanthera
11a. Lip with a long claw, stigmas on short processes;
1-or 2-flowered……........................… Myrmechis
23a. Pollinia elongate, soft and mealy; plants
epiphytic or lithophytic ……..........…… Thunia
11b. Lip with a short claw, stigma sessile
inflorescence many flowered ……...…. Zeuxine
23b. Pollinia clavate, hard or relatively soft; plants
terrestrial ……………................…….. Arundina
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
24a. Epiphytic plants with 2, 4 or 8 pollinia; leaves
not equitant ……….......................…………….25
24b. Terrestrial plants with 4 or 8 pollinia or
epiphytic plants with equitant leaves and 4
pollinia...................................................................36
25a. Pollinia 8……………………………….....…….26
25b. Pollinia 4 ……………….....……………………29
26a. Sepals joined into a tube; inflorescence usually
of one flower ……….......................……………27
26b. Sepals not joined into a tube; Inflorescence of
many flowers……......................……………….28
27a. Pseudobulbs discoid, flowers 1-3....……Porpax
27b. Pseudobulbs ovoid to cylindric; flowers many,
second …….................................….. Cryptochilus
28a. Pollinia joined by a long thin common caudicle
……………........................…………….. Thelasis
5
38b. Saprophytes ……………………………. Yoania
39a. Sidelobes of lip produced backwards on both
sides of the column …...................… Crepidium
39b. Sidelobes altogether lacking ………….. Dienia
40a. Pollinia 4 ……………………....………………41
40b. Pollinia 8……………………….………………42
41a. Pollinia with caudicle, stipes and viscidium
……......…..................……………. Anthogonium
41b. Pollinia without caudicle, stipes or viscidium
……………….........................…………… Liparis
42a. Stems 1 leaved ………………….……………. 43
42b. Stems many leaved ……………………………44
43a. Leaves long petioled, plicate, elliptic-lanceolate
………………….................................…… Tainia
43b. Leaves sessile, cordate ……… Nephelaphyllum
28b. Pollinia not with any long common caudicle
…………………............................…………. Eria
44a. Sepals fused to form a jug shaped body, free at
top; lip mobile........................ Acanthephippium
29a. Pollinia joined by caudicles ………………….30
44b. Sepals not forming as above; lip firmly attached
to column ……......................................……… 45
29b. Pollinia without caudicles ..…………………..36
30a. Lip saccate at base ……………................…… 33
30b. Lip not saccate at base ………………….......….31
45a. Plants with subterranean rhizome and grass like
leaves ……................................……. Pachystoma
31a. Lip base sigmoidally curved…….…… Panisea
45b. Plants without subterranean rhizome; leaves not
grass like ................................………………….46
31b. Lip base not sigmiodally curved…………… 32
46a. Lip with a pair of calli at base …… Spathoglottis
32a. Inflorescence single flowered; lip convolute
around column ……......................………Pleione
46b. Lip without such pair of calli at base ………. 47
32b. Inflorescence many flowered; lip not convolute
around column .................................. Coelogyne
47a. Column margins nearly the entire length
connate with lip base .....................…. Calanthe
33a. Column short ………………………… Pholidota
47b. Column margins free, lip connate only at or near
base of column…….....................................…… 48
33b. Column long ………………....………………..34
48a. Pollinia 8 ……………………...……………… 49
34a. Pseudobulbs produced singly on a creeping
rhizome ………....................................…………35
48b. Pollinia 4 ……………………………………… 50
34b. Pseudobulbs forming a chain, joined from apex
to base …….................................……… Otochilus
49b. Lip not spurred …………… Cephalantheropsis
35a. Flowers funnel shaped at base ……… Neogyna
35b. Flowers not funnel shaped at base....Dickasonia
36a. Leaves laterally compressed........……Oberonia
36b. Leaves not laterally compressed ……………..37
37a. Flowers resupinate …………………..………..38
37b. Flowers non resupinate; column very short,
straight ……………...................………………39
38a. Green plants …………………………………. 40
49a. Lip spurred …………………………….. Phaius
50a. Lip with a transversal ridge between hypochile
and epichile; inflorescence of many small
flowers in a head …………….. Agrostophyllum
50b. Lip with no such transversal ridge; inflorescence
not a head ………….................................……. 50
51a. Pollinia joined by a long thin caudicle ......… 52
51b. Pollinia not joined by caudicle ......………….. 53
52a. Column foot distinct, short; operculum
horizontal on top of column not beaked
……..……………...............……………. Phreatia
6 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
52b. Column foot absent; operculum vertical below
column, beaked …................................. Thelasis
66b. Plants leafless during flowering; operculum
with a lateral pair of fine threads.....Chiloschista
53a. Column with vertical arms or lobules containing
the stigmata ....................................… Ceratostylis
67a. Lip adnate to the column, immovable ……. 68
53b. Column without vertical arms ………….... Eria
54a. Pseudobulbs uninodal …………..……………55
54b. Pseudobulbs plurinodal …………………….. 58
55a. Stipes two ……………………………… Sunipia
55b. Stipes nil ……………………………………… 56
56a. Inflorescence 1 flowered; lateral sepals attached
to the apex of column foot....…………Drymoda
56b. Inflorescence many flowered; lateral sepals
attached to the lateral sides of the column
foot…………………..........…………………… 57
57a. Lateral sepals elongate, involute, firmly united
along both margins forming a horn or pouch
like structure………..…………. Rhytionanthos
57b. Lateral sepals not elongate and free along the
margins …..............................….. Bulbophyllum
58a. Stems branched; flowers last only a day
………………...................…………. Flickingeria
58b. Stems unbranched; flowers long lasting
…………………......................…………………59
59a. Flowers solitary from between leaves
……………….............…………….. Epigeneium
59b. Flowers many on a raceme or a fascicle
………………...............………..…Dendrobium
60a. Plants always monopodial ………………….. 61
60b. Plants sympodial ……………..…………….... 85
67b. Lip not adnate to the column, movable …... 70
68a. Lip with distinct spur or sac ………………….69
68b. Lip without spur or sac ……………. Vandopsis
69a. Midlobe of lip fringed or dentate............
.......................................................... Ornithochilus
69b. Midlobe of lip not as above …………………. 72
70a. Sac of lip hairy within ………………… Acampe
70b. Sac of lip not hairy .……………. …………….71
71a. Flowers red; lip much shorter than the dorsal
sepal ………............................…….. Renanthera
71b. Flowers white with purple markings; lip as long
or longer than the dorsal sepal..... Schoenorchis
72a. Sepals and petals broad, ovate, fleshy ..…… 73
72b. Sepals and petals narrow, spathulate, not fleshy
………….................................………………… 74
73a. Long-stemmed plants; stipes very broad
……………….......................…………. Esmeralda
73b. Short-stemmed plants; stipes narrow,
spathulate ………............………… Hygrochilus
74a. Spur short, conical …………………… Arachnis
74b. Spur long, cylindrical …………….. Armodorum
75a. Pollinia whole, not cleft, split or porate............
………………………....................…… Luisiopsis
61a. Pollen masses completely divided ..…………62
75b. Pollinia more or less but not completely cleft or
split or porate ………..............................……. 76
61b. Pollen masses not so ...………………………..75
76a. Pollinia porate ………........……………………77
62a. Column foot distinct …………………………. 63
76b. Pollinia cleft or split ……………..……………80
62b. Column foot absent ...…………………………67
77a. Leaves terete ………………....…………. Luisia
63a. Lip with a distinct spur or sac………………..64
77b. Leaves dorsiventral ………………………….. 78
63b. Lip with no distinct spur or sac …………….. 65
64a. Spur with a longitudinal septum.....Cleisostoma
78a. Spur short, saccate; epichile margined with hairs
…….….....................................…… Gastrochilus
64b. Spur without a septum …………… Kingidium
78b. Spur long, cylindric or extinctoriform ..……. 79
65a. Plants terrestrial or lithophytic; lip with a long
claw at base ……..............................……. Doritis
79a. Midlobe ligulate ………………..... Ascocentrum
65b. Plants epiphytic; lip without claw …………. 66
66a. Plants leafy during flowering; operculum
without any fine thread…..........Thrixspermum
79b. Midlobe more or less elliptic …. Holcoglossum
80a. Column foot short, distinct ..…………………81
80b. Column foot absent or indistinct ……………83
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
81a. Leaves terete ..………………….. Papilionanthe
81b. Leaves dorsiventral ...................……………… 82
82a. Flowers arranged on four sides; spur very
conspicuous ……..........................…….. Aerides
82b. Flowers distichously arranged; spur lacking
……………….............................…..Phalaenopsis
83a. Stipes short and broad; viscidium broadly
orbicular ……..............................…………. Vanda
83b. Stipes linear, often widening apically ……… 84
84a. Large plants with broad and fleshy leaves
having many light coloured veins ……….
.........................................................Rhynchostylis
84b. Small plants with small leaves and no light
coloured veins ….................................… Uncifera
85a. Inflorescence terminal, often branching
……………….......................………. Polystachya
85b. Inflorescence lateral, always unbranched
…………………...............................………….. 86
86a. Pollinium with short strap shaped stipes
………………...............................…………….. 87
86b. Pollinium without stipes.................. Cymbidium
87a Raceme erect; operculum with two small
processes at apex ….........................… Eulophia
87b. Raceme nodding; operculum with no such
processes …….............................…… Geodorum
Enumeration
Acampe Lindl.
An Old World genus of about 6 epiphytic or
lithophytic species characterized by woody habit,
thick and fleshy leaves and brittle flowers marked
by reddish brown stripes. Five species are known
from India with three in Manipur.
1a.
Leaves 4-6 cm broad; spur short, conical...............
..................................................................A. rigida
1b. Leaves less than 2.5 cm broad; spur long,
cylindrical ………………….....……………….. 2
2a.
Inflorescence much branched, as long as or even
longer than leaves …................…… A. ochracea
2b. Inflorescence unbranched, much shorter than
the leaves …………............………. A. papillosa
1. Acampe ochracea (Lindl.) Hochr., Bull. N. Y. Bot.
Gard. 6:270.1910; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot.
95:48.1988; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci.
& Com. 85. 2001. Saccolabium ochraceum Lindl., Bot.
7
Reg. 28: misc. 2.1842; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India
6:62.1890.
2. Acampe papillosa (Lindl.) Lindl., Fol. Orch.
Acampe 2.1853; Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN
Orch. Cong. Sing. 74. 1984; Ghatak & Devi in Vij
(Ed.), Biol. Cons. Cult. Orch. 358. 1986; Seidenfaden,
Opera Bot. 95:49.1988; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 85. 2001. Saccolabium papillosum
Lindl., Bot. Reg., 18:T. 1552.1833 (excl.syn.); Hook.
f., Fl. Brit. India 6:63. 1890 (excl. syn. Sarcochilus
praemorsus Spreng.); King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot.
Gard. Calcutta 8:219. Pl. 290. 1898.
Devi and Ghatak reported of this species in Sadar
hills.
3. Acampe rigida (Buch.-Ham. ex J. E. Sm.) Hunt,
Kew Bull. 24: 98.1970; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot.
95:45.1988; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci.
& Com. 85. 2001. Aerides rigida Buch.-Ham. ex J. E.
Sm. in Rees, Cyclop. 39. 1819. Vanda longifolia Lindl.,
Gen. Sp. Orch. 215. 1833. Acampe longifolia
(Lindl.)Lindl., Fol. Orch. Acampe 1.1853; Devi &
Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing.74.1984;
Ghatak & Devi in Vij (Ed.), Biol. Cons. Cult.
Orch.358. 1986:
Saccolabium longifolium
(Lindl.)Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:62. 1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 220, Pl.
202. 1898.
Fig. 3a
Devi and Ghatak collected this species from Mao in
Northern Manipur. We collected it at Saikul and it
flowered subsequently under cultivation at TBGRI.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Saikul, flowered
under cultivation 20 June 1996 C. Sathish Kumar 28750
(TBGT!).
Acanthephippium Blume
An Indo-Malesian genus of a dozen terrestrial
species characterized by ovoid to clavate, fleshy
pseudobulbs bearing more than 2 large elliptic-ovate
leaves and a lateral raceme of large strikingly
coloured, often jug-shaped flowers. Three species
are known from India and one in Manipur.
Acanthephippium sylhetense Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch.
117.1833; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 815.1890; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 85. 2001.
Aerides Loureiro
An Indo-Malesian genus of about 20 epiphytic species
with fairly stout stems, thick, fleshy, loriform leaves
and lateral, simple or branched racemes of large,
8 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
usually much showy, variously coloured, often sweet
scented, long lasting flowers. Eight species are known
to occur in India. Two species are available in
Manipur.
1a.
Flowers white to white suffused with pink;
midlobe turning upwards, much smaller than
sidelobes …………...………………...A. odorata
1b.
Flowers purple or pink; midlobe forward
pointing, larger than sidelobes...… A. multiflora
1. Aerides multiflora Roxb., Pl. Corom. 3:68. pl.
271.1819; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:47. 1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 212. Pl.
283.1898; Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch.
Cong. Sing.74. 1984; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 95:249.
1988.
Fig. 3b
Devi and Ghatak reported this species from Imphal.
Specimens Examined: INDIA: Manipur: Kangla C. Sathish
Kumar 28712(TBGT!)
Bot. 89:127.1986; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 85. 2001.
Clarke’s report of this species was from Kohima,
Nagaland. Mukerjee collected it from Lamlang at 2000
m. on 21 April 1948. Deb (1961) says it is common at
1050-2400m.
Specimens Examined: Manipur: 11.2.1954 D. B. Deb 1528 &
1894 (CAL!); 9.6.1948 Dr S K Mukerjee 3000 (CAL!);
December 1907 A. Meebold 6904 (CAL!).
2. Agrostophyllum planicaule (Wallich ex Lindl.)
Rchb.f., Walp. Ann. 6:909. 1864; Seidenfaden in Opera
Bot. 89:128.1986. Eria planicaulis Wallich ex Lindl.,
Bot. Reg. 28:8. Misc. 4.1840. Agrostophyllum khasianum
Griffith, Calc. J. Nat. Hist. 4: 378. T.19, 1844; Hook. f.,
Fl. Brit. India 5: 824.1890; Clarke, J. Linn. Soc. 25: 72.
1889; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta
8: 154. Pl. 210 1898; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):126.
1961; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com.
85. 2001.
2. Aerides odorata Lour., Fl. Cochinch. 2: 525.1790;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 47. 1890; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 212. Pl. 282.1898;
Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing.
74. 1984; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 95: 242.1988;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 85.
2001.
Clarke collected it from the western part at 350 feet.
Devi and Ghatak recorded this species from Chandel.
We collected it from Imphal and Thoubal. This
species flowered many times under cultivation at
TBGRI.
Anoectochilus roxburghii (Wallich) Lindl., Gen. Sp.
Orch. 499.1830; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 95.1890;
Clarke, J. Linn. Soc. 25:73. 1889; King & Pantling, Ann.
Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 293. Pl. 390. 1898; Deb,
Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):126. 1961; Seidenfaden,
Dansk Bot. Ark. 32(2): 52.1978; Chauhan in Pathak et
al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 85. 2001. Chryopaphus
roxburghii Wallich, Tent. Fl. Nepal. 37. fig. 27. 1826.
Specimens Examined: INDIA:Manipur: Kangla, flowered on
24.05.1996 C. Sathish Kumar 28739 (TBGT!)
Agrostophyllum Blume
A genus of about 100 epiphytic species distributed
from Seychelles through Indo-Malesia to the islands
of the Pacific and characterized by long, flattened
stems with 2-ranked leaves and terminal heads of
small flowers with sac-shaped lip. Five species are
known from India. Two species occur in Manipur.
1a.
Leaves 15-25 mm broad; petals 3 veined............
……….........................…………… A. planicaule
1b.
Leaves to 10-11 mm broad; petals 5 veined......
………………...........………………. A. callosum
1. Agrostophyllum callosum Rchb.f. in Seem. Fl. Vit.
296. 1868; Clarke, J. Linn. Soc. 25:72. 1889; Hook. f.,
Fl. Brit. India 5: 824, p. p. 1890; King & Pantling, Ann.
Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 155. Pl. 212.1898; Mukerjee,
Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):150.1953; Deb,
Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2): 126; Seidenfaden, Opera
Anoectochilus Blume
An Indo-Malesian genus of about 35-40 species of
ground orchids with very attractive foliage and a
terminal raceme of a few to many flowers. Thirteen
species are known from India with one in Manipur.
Clarke recorded this species from west Manipur at
1000 ft. Pradhan (1976) also tells of its occurrence in
Manipur.
Anthogonium Wallich ex Lindl.
An interesting monotypic genus represented by A.
gracile Wallich ex Lindl. found only in Asian mainland
from India to China through Nepal, Bhutan,
Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. It is a ground
orchid with tuberous rhizome bearing two plicate
leaves, basally forming a long pseudostem and a long
raceme of a few very attractive, deep pink to white
flowers.
Anthogonium gracile Wallich ex Lindl., Gen. Sp.
Orch. 426.1840; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:822. 1890;
King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8:
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
9
c
a
d
b
e
Figure 3. a. Acampe rigida (Buch.-Ham. ex J.E. Sm.) Hunt ; b. Aerides multiflora Roxb.; c. Ascocentrum ampullaceum (Roxb.) Schltr.; d. Bulbophyllum
manipurense Sathish & Suresh; e. Cymbidium tigrinum Rchb. f.
10 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
96.Pl. 134. 1898; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard.
Edinburgh 21(3):150. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India
3(2):126.1961; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 89:67.1986;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 85.
2001.
Recording this species from Ukhrul at 2000 m,
Mukerjee commented ‘I saw flowers varying in
colour from deep purple to pure white’. Deb
collected it from East Manipur. We collected it in
fruits and dried up condition in April at Kasom
Khullen, East Manipur and it flowered under
cultivation at TBGRI.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Ukhrul S. K. Mukerjee
5303 (CAL!); East Deb 2530 (CAL!); Khasom Khullen C.
Sathish Kumar 28763 (TBGT!).
Arachnis Blume
An Indo-Malesian epiphytic genus of about a dozen
species characterized by Vanda like habit, fairly long
simple or branched racemes of stunningly coloured
flowers, popularly known as spider orchids. Two
species are believed to occur in India and one in
Manipur.
Arachnis labrosa (Lindl. & Paxt.) Rchb.f., Bot.
Centralbl. 28:343. 1886; Tan, Selbyana 2: 367. 1976;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 95:140. 1988. Arrhynchium
labrosum Lindl. & Paxt., Paxton Fl. Gard. 1:142. 1850.
Renanthera bilinguis Rchb.f., Bonplandia 2:93.1854.
Arachnanthe bilinguis (Rchb.f.) Benth., J. Linn.
Soc.18:332.1881; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India6:28. 1890;
King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 210.
Pl. 280. 1898: Armodorum labrosum (Lindl. & Paxt.)
Schltr., Fed. Repert. 10:197. 1911; Pradhan, Ind. Orch.
Guide to Iden. Cult. 571.1979.
We collected this species from Imphal and it flowered
under cultivation at TBGRI, one inflorescence lasting
over two years.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Imphal C. Sathish
Kumar 28747 (TBGT!).
Armodorum Breda
An Indo-Malesian epiphytic genus of 3 species closely
related to Arachnis and characterized by narrow and
often spathulate sepals and petals with a long
cylindrical spur. Only one species is found in India
recorded only from Manipur.
Armodorm senapatianum Phukan & Mao, Orch. Rev.
110: 298. 2002.
Phukan and Mao described this new species. We
haven’t seen any specimen of it.
Arundina Blume
Arundina is a monotypic Indo-Malesian genus of
ground orchids with reedy habit, grass like leaves
and a terminal raceme of large, showy, pinkish-purple
flowers. It enjoys wide distribution in India.
Arundina graminifolia (D. Don) Hochr., Bull. N. Y.
Bot. Gard. 6: 270. 1910; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot.
Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):150. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv.
India 3(2): 126.1961; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to
Iden. Cult. 439. 1979; Seidenfaden in Opera Bot.
89:16.1986; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci.
& Com. 85. 2001. Bletia graminifolia D. Don, Prodr. Fl.
Nepal. 29. 1825. Arundina chinensis Blume, Bijdr. 402.
1825; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 857. 1890. Arundina
bambusifolia Lindl., Bot. Reg. 27. misc.2.1841; Hook.
f., Fl. Brit.India 5: 857.1890; Clarke, J. Linn. Soc. 25:
73. 1889; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard.
Calcutta 8: 113. Pl. 156. 1898.
Clarke’s report was actually from Kohima, Nagaland.
Mukerjee recorded this from Ukhrul and said it was
common at lower elevations.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur, Kangchup 26.11.1959
D. B. Deb 94 (CAL!); Imphal 16.1.1952 D. B Deb 306 (CAL!);
Mongonyung 2.8.1953 D. B. Deb 806 (CAL!); Shunju
12.9.1956 D. B. Deb 2665 & 26668 (CAL!); Kachching hills
D. B. Deb 1234 (CAL!); Carong 3500 ft., 16 May 1882 G. Watt
7135 (CAL!); Laireain 5 April 1882, G. Watt 6257 (CAL!);
Ukhrul 1700 m. 25.6. 1948 Dr S K Mukerjee 3121 (CAL!).
Ascocentrum Schltr.
A small Indo-Malesian genus of about 8 epiphytic
species characterized by compactly arranged and
exceedingly beautiful flowers with along cylindrical
spur on lip. Three species are known from India. Two
species and a distinct variety are found in Manipur.
1a.
Leaves flat, usually dark spotted; spur equalling
ovary .……..…...............………A. ampullaceum
1b.
Leaves terete, unspotted; spur twice as long as
ovary ……………................…… A. himalaicum
1. Ascocentrum ampullaceum (Roxb.) Schltr., Fed.
Repert. Beih. 1: 975.1913; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide
to Iden. Cult.560.1979; Christenson, Amer. Orch.
Soc. Bull. 55(2):106. 1986; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot.
95: 314.1988; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 85. 2001. Aerides ampullacea Roxb., Fl.
Ind. 3: 476. Saccolabium ampullaceum (Roxb.)Lindl.,
Sert. Orch. T. 17.1838; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 64.
1890; Clarke, J. Linn. Soc. 25: 173. 1889; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 220. pl.
293. 1898; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):129.1961;
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong.
Sing.74. 1984.
Fig. 3c
Clarke collected this species from west Manipur
(3000 ft.). Devi and Ghatak found it at Tengnoupal.
We got specimens from H. B. Singh, the then
Orchid Development Officer at Khongapatt. This
is believed to be a variable species. Pradhan (1979)
reported a deep orange red form from Nagaland
and Manipur which he called A. ampullaceaum var.
aurantiacum.
11
Bulbophyllum Thouars
A pantropical genus of about 900 epiphytic or
lithophytic species with long, creeping rhizomes
bearing a series of variously shaped, 1 or 2-leaved
pseudobulbs having a lateral raceme or umbel of
small but pretty flowers. Eighty six species are
known from India. Fourteen occure in Manipur
including a new species and a new record for
India.
1a.
Flower large, solitary…………...........…………2
1b.
Flowers small in raceme or umbel …….........…..4
2. Ascocentrum himalaicum (Deb, Sengupta &
Mallick) Christ., Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh
44(2): 256.1987; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 86. 2001. Saccolabium himalaicum Deb,
Sengupta & Mallick, Bull Bot. Soc. Bengal 22:
213.1968(1970). Holcoglossum junceum Tsi, Acta
Phytotax. Sin. 20:442. 1982.
2a.
Leafy during flowering………………......……..3
2b.
Leafless during flowering……..B. moniliforme
3a.
Pseudobulbs distantly arranged; lateral sepals
falcate, sigmoid ………..............……… B. lobbii
3b.
Pseudobulbs closely arranged; lateral sepals not
falcate …………..................……B. leopardinum
This was first collected from Manipur by KingdonWard during his 1946 expedition when his trip was
jointly sponsored by the New York Botanic Garden
and the U. S. Army. This specimen is deposited in
the Herbarium of New York Botanic Garden. At
CAL there is an old collection from Sima, Kachin
Hills, Upper Burma (at 6000’ December 1899 Shaik
Mokim 71, CAL!, paratype) and another one from
Shemganga, Bhutan (18.11.1964 D. B. Deb 424,
CAL!).
4a.
Flowers on a raceme ……………………………5
4b.
Flowers on an umbel ………….…………….. 10
5a.
Pseudobulbs 2-leaved ..……….……….B. triste
5b.
Pseudobulbs 1-leaved …………………....…….6
6a.
Flowers 2-3 on a loose inflorescence...................
………………….......…………………. B. reptans
6b.
Flowers many on a thick inflorescence ……… 7
Brachycorythis Lindl.
7a.
Pseudobulb much reduced…….B. khasyanum
An Old World genus of 33 terrestrial species
(Summerhayes, 1955) characterized by small
tuberoids, long leafy stems which gradually
transform into an inflorescence of brightly coloured
flowers. Eight species are known from India. Only
one species occurs in Manipur.
7b.
Pseudobulbs normal …………………………. 8
8a.
Petals triangular acute with irregular edges
…………………..........…………. B. propinquum
8b.
Petals aristate or subulate or with a long thread
at apex ……………...............………………….. 9
Brachycorythis galeandra (Rchb. f.) Summerh., Kew
Bull. 2:242. 1955; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 114: 42. 1992
& Contr. Orch. Fl. Thailand XIII: 9. 1997. Platanthera
galeandra Rchb. f., Linnaea 25: 266. 1852. Habenaria
galeandra (Rchb. f.) Benth., Fl. Hongkong. 363. 1861;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:163. p. p. 1890. Habenaria
galeandra var. major Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 164. 1890.
Phyllomphax galeandra (Rchb. f.)Schltr., Fed. Repert.
4: 199.1919; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard.
Edinburgh 21(3): 154. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India
3(2):129.1961.
9a.
Inflorescence long peduncled; stelidia triangular
………………..................……….B. manipurense
9b.
Inflorescence short peduncled; stelidia not
triangular, forwards curved, more or less obtuse
at apex ………………………….. B. careyanum
Specimens Examined: INDIA: Manipur: Khongapatt
29.03. 1996 C. Sathish kumar 28732 (TBGT!).
Mukerjee says this species decorates the open slopes
of Ukhrul at 1800-2100 m. Deb tells us of its occurrence
in Nongmaiching.
10a. Flowers sweet scented; petal 1-veined.............
……………………....………. B. odoratissimum
10b. Flowers not scented; petal 3-veined ………... 11
11a. Lateral sepals more than 25 mm long; stelidia
spathulate …….............…B. reichenbachianum
11b. Lateral sepals less than 20 mm long; stelidia
narrow pointed ……...........…………………. 12
12 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
12a. Petals cuspidate.………………… B. guttulatum
12b. Petals obtuse………………………...……….. 13
13a. Scape ± 10 cm long, shorter than the leaves........
…………………..............…….….B. umbellatum
13b. Scape above 20 cm long, longer than the leaves
……………….....................…………….B. elatum
1. Bulbophyllum careyanum (Hook.) Spreng., Syst.
3: 732.1826; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 760. 1890; King
& Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 71. Pl.
97. 1898; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 33(3):145.1979;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 86.
2001. Anisopetalon careyanum Hook., Exot. Fl. 2:Pl. 149.
1825.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Kasom Khullen
23.03.1996 C. Sathish Kumar 28719 (TBGT!).
2. Bulbophyllum elatum (Hook. f.) J. J. Smith, Bull.
Buitenz. 2. s. 8:23.1912; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot.Ark.
29(1): 210.1973; Garay et al., Nord. J. Bot. 14(6):628.
1994. Cirrhopetalum elatum Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:
775. 1890 & Ic. Pl. 21:T. 2052. 1891; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 93.Pl. 130.1898;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 86.
2001.
We found this species under cultivation at Thoubal.
3. Bulbophyllum guttulatum (Hook. f.) Balakr., J.
Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 67: 66.1970; Shukla & Baishya,
J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 76: 227.1979; Garay et al.,
Nord. J. Bot. 14(6): 631.1994. Bulbophyllum umbellatum
Lindl., Bot. Reg. 31: t. 44. 1845, not Lindl. 1830.
Cirrhopetalum guttulatum Hook. f., F. Brit. Ind. 5: 776.
1890.
Shukla and Baishya reported this species as occurring
in Tipaimukh road at 1350 m. on Albizzia sp.
4. Bulbophyllum khasyanum Griffith, Not. 3:284.
1851; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 33(3): 180. 1979.
B. cylindraceum var. khasyanum Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India
5:765. 1890. B. cylindraceum auct. non Lindl.; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 70. Pl. 96.
1898.
5. Bulbophyllum leopardinum (Wallich) Lindl., Gen.
Sp. Orch. 48.1830; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 756. 1890;
King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 67.
Pl. 92. 1898; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 33(3): 28.
1979; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com.
86. 2001. Dendrobium leopardinum Wallich, Tent. Fl.
Nepal. 1: 39. t. 28. 1824.
6. Bulbophyllum lobbii Lindl., Bot. Reg. sub T.
29.1847; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 755. 1890;
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 33(3):21.1979; Kataki
et al., Threat. End. Orch. Northeast Ind. 10.1984;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 86.
2001.
7. Bulbophyllum manipurense Sathish et Suresh, sp.
nov.
Figs. 3d, 4
Pertinens sectorum Careyana Pfitz. e Bulbophyllum.
Affinis Bulbophyllum careyanum, B. crassipes et B.
nesiotes sed differt a omnis pedunculis longioribus
(ad 7 cm), rhachis erectus, sepala dorsalis breviter et
obtusa, petala ovata vel triangularis et margine erosa,
ad apicem aristata, labium auriculae acuteque
triangularis et stelidia triangularis et acuminata.
Type: INDIA, Manipur; East; Kason Khullen. 700 m.
18 April 1996. C. Sathish Kumar 28751 (Holotype and
Isotypes, TBGT). Flowered under cultivation at
TBGRI on 12 June 1997.
Belonging to Sect. Careyana Pfitz. of Bulbophyllum and
allied to B. careyanum, B. crassipes and B. nesiotes
Seidenf. but differing in the longer peduncled
inflorescence, erect rachis, much shorter and blunter
dorsal sepal and triangular, 2 mm long stelidia.
Pseudobulbous herbs. Rhizome 4-5 mm thick, plurinodal
and nodes ensheathed. Pseudobulbs 4.5-5 x 2-2.5 cm,
ellipsoid, slightly laterally compresed, 4 angled, 1
leaved. Leaves oblong, shortly petioled, 20-20.5 x 2.53 cm, unequally and obtusely 2-lobed at apex.
Inflorescence a lateral erect raceme of dense flowers;
scape 7 cm long, subtended by copular bracts below.
Flowers orange yellow to brown with dirty smell;
floral bracts 5 x 2.8-3 mm, ovate, gland-dotted, 3veined and acute at apex; dorsal sepal 3.5 - 4 x 2 mm,
oblong-ovate, obtuse, 3-veined, gland dotted; lateral
sepals 5 x 3 mm, elliptic ovate, boat-shaped, 4 veined,
gland dotted, acute at apex; petals triangular ovate,
2.2 x 1.5 mm, 1-veined, margins erose, aristate at apex;
lip thick and fleshy with two triangular auricles at
base; auricles 2.5 x 2 mm, medianly grooved, obtuse
at apex; column 2 mm long with 1 mm long stelidia
above and 2 mm long column foot below to which
lateral sepals, petals and lip are attached; operculum
1 mm, 2-celled with 2 pollinia. Fruits not observed.
Flowering: May-June
Habitat: Evergreen forests at 700 m.
Occurrence: India, Manipur, Kasom Khullen.
Distribution: Endemic.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur, Kasom Khullen:
Flowered under cultivation on 12 June 1997, C. Sathish
Kumar 28751 (holo and iso, TBGT!).
Note: We sent a series of sketches, photographs and
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
observations on our collection to Paul Ormerod
(Australia) who discovered the novelty and
commented on the affinities in 1999.
13
8. Bulbophyllum moniliforme Parish & Rchb. f.,
Trans. Linn. Soc.30:151.1874; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India
5:757. 1890; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 33(3):
4 mm
2 mm
2 mm
b
c
d
3 mm
2 mm
f
e
2 mm
g
5 cm
2 mm
a
h
Figure 4. Bulbophyllum manipurense Sathish & Suresh. – a. Habit; b. Floral bract; c. Dorsal sepal; d. Petal; e. Lateral sepal; f. Lip; g. Flower, side view
(sepals & petals removed); h. Column (after CSK 28751).
14 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
49.1979; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. &
Com. 86. 2001.
This species is leafless during flowering with closely
arranged glossy green pseudobulbs, solitary flower
having a fat blunt nose and a red lip.
9. Bulbophyllum odoratissimum (J. E. Sm.) Lindl.,
Gen. Sp. Orch. 55.1830; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India5:758.
1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta
8: 79. Pl. 109.1898; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 33(3):
76.1979; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. &
Com. 86. 2001. Stelis odoratissima J. E. Sm. in Ress
Cyclop. 34:12. 1814.
Flower has an orange lip.
10. Bulbophyllum propinquum Krzl., Orchis 2:62.
1908; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 33(3): 123. 1979.
Fig. 5
Pseudobulbous epiphytes. Pseudobulbs conical, pale
green, 2.7 x 1.7 cm, 1-leaved. Leaves oblong, 14.2 x 1.8
cm, obtusely bilobed at apex. Inflorescence a lateral
raceme; scape about 4 cm long, pale green, lower
portion covered with 3-4 cupular bracts, fairly densely
flowered, reddish brown in colour; bracts 5 x 2.5 cm,
3-veined, gland dotted, ovate, pale green with light
brown at base; dorsal sepal 4.5 x 3 mm, 5-veined,
thickly gland dotted, oblong-ovate with acute apex
having deep violet striations on the dorsal side; lateral
sepals 6.5 x 3.5-4 mm, 5-veined, sparingly gland
dotted, widely obovate with rounded apex, joined at
the apices; petals 1.2 x 2 mm, triangular, broader than
long, 1veined, gland dotted, slightly oblique at base,
acuminate at apex; lip thick and fleshy, 3.5 x 2 mm,
auricled at base, papillate at the median region,
papillae small, auricles with irregular edge, obtuse
at apex; column 2.5 mm long, stelids 1 mm long with
irregular edge, column foot 2 mm long to which lateral
sepals and lip are attached; operculum less than 1
mm, grooved at apex, 2-celled with 2 pairs of pollinia.
Fruits not seen.
identification of this species was confirmed by Paul
Ormerod who studied Hosseus’ type from Doi
Suthep, Thailand preserved at C. We checked at BKF
but there was no specimen of this species available
there.
11. Bulbophyllum reichenbachianum Krzl., Bot.
Jahrb. 17:49. 1893; Garay et al., Nord. J. Bot. 14(6):
627.1994. Bulbophyllum mannii Rchb. f., Flora 55:
275.1872, non Hook. f. 1864. Cirrhopetalum mannii
(Rchb. f.) Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh
21(3):151. 1953.
Garay et al. found this species distinct from B.
delictescens Hance in which it was synonymized.
Mukerjee found this species in Ukhrul at 1500 m.
12. Bulbophyllum reptans (Lindl.)Lindl., Gen. Sp.
Orch. 51.1830; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:768. 1890; King
& Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 78. Pl.
106. 1898; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 33(3):
109.1979; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. &
Com. 86. 2001. Tribrachia reptans Lindl., Coll. Bot. T.
41 a. 1826.
Flowers are 2-3 on a loose raceme.
13. Bulbophyllum triste Rchb. f., Walp. Ann. 6: 253.
1861; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:768. 1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 73. Pl. 98
1898; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 33(3): 213.1979;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 86.
2001.
This is a two-leaved species.
14. Bulbophyllum umbellatum Wallich ex Lindl.,
Gen. Sp. Orch. 56.1830; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot.Ark.
29(1):178.1973; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 86. 2001. Cirrhopetalum maculosum Lindl.,
Bot. Reg. 27, misc. 81.1841; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:
776. 1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard.
Calcutta 8: 95. Pl. 132. 1898.
Calanthe R. Br.
Flowering: February-March
Habitat: In evergreen forests at 700 m.
Occurrence: India, Manipur, Kasom Khullen
Distribution: India and Thailand
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur, Kasom Khullen:
Forest near a military camp, C. Sathish Kumar 28755 (TBGT!).
Note: This was originally described by Kraenzlin
based on Hosseus collection from Thailand where it
was until now believed to be endemic. Our collection
from Manipur is thus a new record for India. It was
introduced into TBGRI where it flowered in 1998. Our
Calanthe is a pantropical genus of about 150 species
of large terrestrial or rarely epiphytic orchids with or
without pseudobulbs bearing large plicate leaves and
a lateral raceme of large showy and variously
coloured flowers. Twenty five species are known from
India. Seven species occur in Manipur.
1a.
Bracts caducuous...............................C. densiflora
1b.
Bracts persistent ……………………………….2
2a.
Spur nil or minute ……………………………. 3
2b.
Spur 4 mm or more long ………………………5
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
c
d
h
1 mm
2 mm
2 mm
15
2 mm
e
b
3 mm
f
5 cm
g
2 mm
a
j
1 mm
i
Figure 5. Bulbophyllum propinquum Krzl. – a. Habit; b. Floral bract; c. Dorsal sepal; d. Petal; e. Lateral sepal; f. Lip (side view); g. Lip front view; h. Flower
(sepals and petals removed); i. Column; j. Operculum with pollinia (after CSK 28755).
16 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
3a.
Lip with sidelobes ………….………………… 4
3b.
Lip without sidelobes…………….….C. biloba
4a.
Disc with 3 small conical lamellae................
…………………………C. brevicornu var. wattii
4b.
Disc with 3 large crenulate fleshy ridges
………………........……………… C. tricarinata
5a.
Spur short, conical, pubescent ………C. mannii
5b.
Spur long (10-50 mm), terete, glabrous ………..6
6a.
Flowers white; sidelobes and lobules of midlobe
subsimilar …………….....................…….angusta
6b.
Flowers mauve to purple/rose; midlobe much
larger than sidelobes…...............….. C. sylvatica
1. Calanthe angusta Lindl., Fol. Orch. Calanthe 7.1854;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India5:849. 1890; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8::171. Pl. 232.1898;
Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):
150.1953; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot.Ark. 29(2):12.1975;
Kataki et al. Threat. End. Orch. Northeast Ind. 13.1984;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 86.
2001.
Watt collected this species in 1882 at an altitude of
3500 ft. Mukerjee recorded it from Ukhrul at 1700 m.
2. Calanthe biloba Lindl., Fol. Orch. Calanthe 3.1854;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:848. 1890; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 169.Pl. 228.1898;
Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):
150. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):126.1961;
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 29(2):11.1975; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 86. 2001.
Mukerjee recorded this species from Ukhrul.
3. Calanthe brevicornu Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch.
251.1830; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh
21(3): 150. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India
3(2):126.1961; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 86.2001.
Mukerjee found this species at Sirohee, while Deb
recorded it both from Sirohee and Koupru. J. D.
Hooker (1890) described a var. wattii under this
species based on Watt’s collection from Manipur. This
specimen is available at CAL. Mukerjee collected this
variety also from Tuishar at 1800.
5. Calanthe mannii Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:850.1890;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 86.
2001.
J. D. Hooker based his description of this species on
specimens collected by Duthie from Kumaon and
Mann and Clarke from Meghalaya.
6. Calanthe sylvatica (Thouars) Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch.
250.1833; Seidenfaden & Wood, Orch. Penin. Mal.
Sing. 167. 1992; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 124:17. 1995.
Centrosis sylvatica Thouars, Iles. Aust. Afr. T. 35,
36.1822. Bletia masuca D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal. 30.
1825. Calanthe masuca (D. Don) Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch.
249.1833; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:850.1890;
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot.Ark. 29(2):19.1975; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 86. 2001.
This is a species widespread from Africa to Asia.
7. Calanthe tricarinata Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 252.
1833; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:847.1890; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 86. 2001.
Lip of this species is brown purple with disc bearing
3 large crenulate fleshy ridges.
Cephalanthera L. C. Rich.
A Eurasian terrestrial genus of 14 temperate species
characterized by creeping rhizome, conduplicate
leaves and glabrous raceme of many white flowers.
Three species are known from India and only one
species occurs in Manipur.
Cephalanthera longifolia (L.) Fritsch in Oest. Bot.
Zeitschr. 38: 81. 1888; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 86. 2001. Serapias helleborine var.
longifolia L., Sp. Pl. 950. 1753. Cephalanthera ensifolia
L. C. Rich. in Mem. Mus. Hist. Nat. 4: 60.1818; Hook.
f., Fl. Brit. India 6:125. 1890.
This is a widely distributed species from temperate
and Mediterranean Eurasia to the Himalayas.
Cephalantheropsis Guillaumin
An Indo-Malesian genus of 5 species (Ormerod, 1998)
of terrestrial orchids characterized by elongate, laxly
leaved stems and axillary inflorescence of small
flowers. Two species are known to occur in India and
both are found in Manipur.
4. Calanthe densiflora Lindl., Gen.Sp.Orch. 250. 1833;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:855. 1890; Chauhan in Pathak
et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 86.2001; Ormerod, Oasis
Suppl. 2: 7. 2001.
1a.
Sidelobes of lip falcate to uncinate, acute;
midlobe emarginate ……....……..C. obcordata
1b.
Sideloboes of lip truncate, rounded, crenate;
midlobe flabelliform …......……… C. longipes
Ormerod added Phaius epiphyticus Seidenf. from
Thailand as a synonym of this species.
1. Cephalantheropsis obcordata (Lindl.) Ormerod,
Orch. Dig. 62(4): 157. 1998. Bletia obcordata Lindl., Gen.
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
Sp. Orch. 128. 1831. Calanthe gracilis Lindl., Gen. Sp.
Orch. 251. 1833; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 855. 1890;
King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 165.
Pl. 222. 1898; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard.
Edinburgh 21(3): 151. 1953. Calanthe tubifera Hook.
f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 855. 1890.
Ormerod who made a detailed study of the genus
found that the oldest name which could be applied
for the plant recorded from northeastern states was
Bletia obcordata Lindl. originating from Sylhet in
Bangladesh and accordingly effected its transfer to
Cephalantheropsis.
2. Cephalantheropsis longipes (Hook. f.) Ormerod,
Orch. Dig. 61(4):156. 1998. Calanthe longipes Hook. f.,
Fl. Brit. India 6:195. 1890. Phaius longipes (Hook. f.)
Holtt., Gard. Bull. Str. Settl. 11:286. 1947; Deb, Bull.
Bot. Surv. India 3(2): 129. 1961.
Deb reported two collections from Lamdom and
Koupru.
Ceratostylis Blume
An Indo-Malesio-Polynesian genus about 100
epiphytic species with densely tufted stems bearing
thick and fleshy linear-lanceolate leaves and small
flowers. Three species are known from India. Only
one species has been recorded from Manipur.
Ceratostylis himalaica Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:826.
1890 & Ic. Pl. T. 2101.1892; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide
to Iden. Cult. 431. 1979; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 89:
117.1986. Ritaia himalaica (Hook. f.)King & Pantl., Ann.
Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8:157. Pl. 214. 1898; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 94. 2001.
Chiloschista Lindley
An Indo-Malesian genus of about 20 epiphytic species
with a bunch of green, often flattened roots on a small
central stem bearing one or more clusters of attractive
flowers. Leaves precede flowering. Four species are
known from India. Only one species occurs in
Manipur.
Chiloschista parishii Seidenf., Opera Bot.
95:176.1988; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci.
& Com. 86. 2001.
Cleisostoma Blume
An Indo-Malesian genus of about 100 epiphytic species
characterized by the presence of variously ornamented
backwall callus in the lip of flowers. Nineteen species
are known from India. Four species are recorded earlier
from Manipur. We add two more, Cleisostoma discolor
Lindl. and C. williamsonii (Rchb. f.) Garay.
17
1a.
Leaves dorsiventral………………….............… 2
1b.
Leaves terete ………………………...........……. 3
2a.
Leaf tip triangular, acuminate acute; scape pink
in colour …….................……………..C. discolor
2b.
Leaf tip broad obtuse; scape light yellow in
colour …………............…………C. racemiferum
3a.
Stipes of pollinia mitre-shaped....C. williamsonii
3b.
Stipes of pollinia not mitre-shaped, linear.........4
4a.
Backwall callus nearly pentagonal or heartshaped .. ……………........…………. C. filiforme
4b.
Backwall callus with side horns.........................5
5a.
Backwall callus sagittate, lower end bilobed
with spiny projections …..........….. C. rolfeanum
5b.
Backwall callus diamond shaped ................
..................................................C. appendiculatum
1. Cleisostoma appendiculatum (Lindl.) Benth. &
Hook. f. ex Jacks., Ind. Kew. 1: 555. 1895; Seidenfaden,
Dansk Bot. Ark. 29(2):58.1975; Chauhan in Pathak et
al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 87. 2001. Aerides
appendiculata Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 242. 1833.
Sarcanthus appendiculatus (Lindl.) Parish in Mason,
Burma 2:181.1883; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 67. 1890
& Ic. Pl. 2136. 1893.
2. Cleisostoma discolor Lindl., Edward’s Bot. Reg.
31: misc. 59.1845; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:75. 1890;
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 29(2):12. 1975.
Sarcanthus termissus Rchb. f., Hamb. Gartenz. 16: 15.
1860; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 75. 1890. Sarcanthus
macrodon Rchb. f, Gard. Chron. 1555. 1875.
Saccolabium rostellarum Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 59.
1890 & Ic. Pl. T. 2132. 1893. Sarcanthus auriculatus
Rolfe, Kew Bull. 1895: 9. 1895.
Fig. 6
Epiphytes with 7 cm long stem. Leaves flat, 9.5-17 x
1.5-19 cm, unequally bilobed at apex with a mucro in
between, lobes acute or acuminate at apex.
Inflorescence 9.5-28.5 cm long, branched, arising from
the base of the stem, deep purple in colour. Flowers
yellow, 7 mm across sidelobes; floral bracts 1.25x 1
mm, triangular, pale brown; sepals and petals greyish
yellow; dorsal sepal 4-4.5 x 2-2.25 mm, ovate, 3veined, gland dotted, lateral sepals 4-4.25 x 2-2.25
mm, 3-veined, ovate, gland dotted; petals 3.25-4 x 2
mm, ovate, 3-veined, gland dotted, obtuse at apex;
lip off white in colour, 3-lobed, sidelobes oblong with
dentate margin and a callus plate within, midlobe
triangular, folded upward towards the column; spur
off white, 4.5 mm long, completely septate inside,
backwall callus slightly bilobed at apex having
18 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
minute papillae; column 2 mm long, rostellum conical
pink in colour, operculum 2 celled with a deep pink
line, 1.75 x 1.25 mm; pollinia 4 in two equally divided
halves, stipe 1.25 mm long, spathulate and
transparent. Fruits not observed.
This is a new record for the state. We collected this
species from Tupul and introduced it into TBGRI. It
frequently flowers in the garden. Peduncle of the
inflorescence is characteristically deep purple in
colour, flimsy and often branched with creamy
3 mm
g
b
2 mm
1 mm
j
h
1 mm
c
5 cm
d
4 mm
e
a
f
Figure 6. Cleisostoma discolor Lindl. – a. Habit; b. Flower (front view); c. Floral bract; d. Dorsal sepal; e. Petal; f. Lateral sepal; g. Flower (cut through
column and lip); h. Column and lip (cut through spur) showing backwall callus (after CSK 28743).
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
yellow flowers. Ormerod sent us a series of sketches
after types proving C. discolor Lindl. as the oldest
name.
Flowering: May-June (under cultivation).
Habitat: Evergreen forests at 800 m.
Occurrence: India, Manipur, Tupul.
Distribution: India, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaya,
Sumatra and Java.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Tupul. Flowered
under cultivation 3 June 1996 C.Sathish Kumar 28743
(TBGT!); 2 June 1997, C. Sathish Kumar 28762 (TBGT!).
3. Cleisostoma filiforme (Lindl.) Garay, Bot. Mus.
Leafl. Harv. Univ. 23(4):171.1972; Seidenfaden, Dansk
Bot. Ark. 29(2):55; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 87. 2001. Sarcanthus filiformis Lindl., Bot.
Reg. 28, misc. 61.1842; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 66.
1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta
8: 240. Pl. 319. 1898.
Devi and Ghatak reported one ‘Sarcanthus filiformis
Wight’ from Khongampatt. Wight’s type was from
Southern India and it now belongs to a genus of its
own called Seidenfadeniella, found only in Southern
India and Sri Lanka. Devi and Ghatak’s plant could
be C. filiforme (Lindl.) Garay, recorded from the
neighbouring states. We have not seen their specimen.
4. Cleisostoma racemiferum (Lindl.) Garay, Bot. Mus.
Leafl. Harv. Univ. 23(4): 173. 1972; Seidenfaden,
Dansk Bot. Ark. 29(3): 16.1975; Chauhan in Pathak et
al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 87. 2001. Saccolabium
racemiferum Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 224. 1833.
Sarcanthus pallidus Lindl., Bot. Reg. 27, misc. 78.1840;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:68. 1890; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 241. Pl. 320. 1898.
Sarcanthus lorifolius Parish ex Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India
6: 69. 1890 & Ic. Pl. T. 2139. 1893.
We couldn’t collect this species from Manipur and is
included on the authority of Chauhan. We have a
collection at TBGRI from Arunachal Pradesh
flowering frequently.
5. Cleisostoma rolfeanum (King & Pantl.) Garay, Bot.
Mus. Leafl. Harv. Univ. 23(4):174.1972; Seidenfaden,
Dansk Bot.Ark. 29(2):57. 1975; Phukan & Mao, Orch.
Rev. 112:115. 2004. Sarcanthus rolfeanus King & Pantl.,
Journ. Asiat. Soc. Bengal 66(3): 594. 1897.
Fig. 7
Pendulous epiphytes. Stem slender, 6-30 cm long, 0.180.25 cm thick, internodes 1.5- 3 cmm long, deeply
purple dotted. Leaves terete, acute, 8-16 x 0.2-0.25 cm,
green with purple spots. Inflorescence above the axil,
opposite to the leaves, 5 cm long; peduncle purple
19
with tubular sheaths at the base. Flowers 7 mm in
length and 5 mm across; ovary with pedicel 7 mm
long, light purple; floral bract triangular, 1.5 x 1mm,
1-veined; dorsal sepal 3 x 2 mm, 3 veined, entire,
gland dotted, oblong, reflexed; lateral sepals 4 x 2.5
mm, reflexed, 3 veined, gland dotted, oblong, entire,
dark purplish brown; petals 2.5 x 1 mm, linear, obtuse
at apex, one veined, reflexed, dark purplish brown;
lip 5 mm long, 3 lobed, white; sidelobes oblong with
upper margins wavy, converging; midlobe triangular,
3 lobulate, sidleobes small and less than 1 mm, middle
lobule 1.5 mm, inwardly folded towards the column,
tinged with light purple; backwall callus sagittate,
broader than long, the lower end bilobed with small
spiny projections, a pair of papillate structures occur
behind the backwall callus near the septum; septum
near the base of the spur; spur 2-lobed, globose, 2
mm long; column short, white, 3 mm long with
distinct column foot having small papillae;
operculum 2-celled, 1.5 x 1.25, purple, acute at apex;
pollinia 4 in two unequal pairs, stipe 1 mm long,
transparent, mitre shaped, viscidium pink. Fruit not
observed.
This species was reported as a new record for India
from Manipur by Phukan and Mao (2004). It was
originally described by King and Pantling based on
Peche’s collection from Moulmein, Myanmar.
Seidenfaden (1975) recorded it from Thailand, its
eastern limit. This species is very characteristic with
its very peculiar backwall callus. We collected this
species from Kasom Khullen.
Flowering: May-June
Habitat: Evergreen forests at 700 m.
Occurrence: India, Manipur, Kasom Khullen.
Distribution: India, Myanmar and Thailand.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur, Kasom Khullen:
Cultivated at TBGRI, 3 June 1996 C. Sathish Kumar 28742
(TBGT!); Senapati Hills, A. A. Mao 68282 (ASSAM).
MYANMAR: Moulmein: Peche s. n. (CAL!, type).
6. Cleisostoma williamsonii (Rchb. f.) Garay, Bot.
Mus. Leafl. Harv. Univ. 23(4): 176.1972; Seidenfaden,
Dansk Bot.Ark. 29(2):50.1975. Sarcanthus williamsonii
Rchb.f., Hamb. Gaertnez. 21:353. 1865.
Pendulous epiphytes. Stems 20 cm long and 0.3 cm thick,
cylindrical, internodes 1.5-2.5 cm apart. Leaves 4.5-8
cm long, terete, rounded at apex. Inflorescence 12 cm
long arising from the middle of the internode, many
flowered; floral bracts shorter than the ovary, ovatelanceolate. Flowers white, 5 mm across; sepals ovateoblong; petals smaller, oblong; lip 3-lobed, sidelobes
20 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
erect, oblong-obtuse, subfalcate, midlobe incurved
fleshy, thickly clawed, spur globose, backwall callus
bilobed at both ends having small papillae at the
distal lobes; pollinia 2, minute, subglobose, unequally
divided. Fruit not seen.
We found this species at Kasom Khullen near the
Army Camp, growing pendulosly on lofty trees. This
is a new state record.
Flowering: April-May
a
3 mm
d
c
1 cm
4 mm
e
f
3 mm
b
CSK 28742
1 mm
g
4 mm
1 mm
i
h
Figure 7. Cleisostoma rolfeanum (King & Pantl.) Garay – a. Flower (side view); b. Floral bract; c. Dorsal sepal; d. Lateral sepal; e. Petal; f. Column with spur
mouth showing the backwall callus; g. Operculum; h. Pollinarium; i. Section of spur showing backwall callus and lateral calli.
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
Habitat: Evergreen forests
Occurrence: India, Manipur, Sikkim.
Distribution: India, Bhutan, Thailand, China, Malaya,
Sumtra, Java, Borneo.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur, Kasom Khullen:
Flowered under cultivation on 6th May 1996, C. Sathish
Kumar s. n. (TBGT!).
Coelogyne Lindley
An Indo-Malesian genus of about 200 species
(Clayton, 2002) of epiphytic or lithophytic orchids
with variously shaped and clustered, 2-leaved
pseudobulbs on a thick rhizome and bearing terminal
raceme of very showy flowers. India is known have
35 species. Twenty are found in Manipur.
1a.
All flowers opening at the same time
……………………………………..……………. 2
1b.
All flowers not opening at the same time
…………………………………….........……….12
2a.
Scape with imbricating sterile bracts at the
junction of peduncle and rachis …….....…….. 3
2b.
Scape with imbricating sterile bracts mainly at
the base of the peduncle……............…………10
3a.
Rachis producing single set of flowers ……….4
3b.
Rachis extending with new imbricating bracts
to produce further annual sets of flowers.........8
9b.
21
Flowers mostly yellow to yellowish green
……………………..........…………… C. prolifera
10a. Midlobe margins fimbriate; keels 2 or 3
………………………….........…………………..11
10b. Midlobe margins undulate; keels 3 or 4
..…………………...…….………… C. micrantha
11a. Lip fimbriate……………………….. C. fimbriata
11b. Lip margined with black hairs …….... C. ovalis
12a. Ovary hairy or papillate …………. C. pulverula
12b. Ovary glabrous ………………………………..13
13a. Sepals, petals and lip margins generally
undulate ……………......……………C. cristata
13b. Sepals, petals and lip margins not undulate
……………………...............……………..……..14
14a. Petals and sepals of equal width ………..…...15
14b. Petals always narrower than sepals ……..…..17
15a. Inflorescence hysteranthous ……..C. punctulata
15b. Inflorescence proteranthous to synanthous......16
16a. Pseudobulbs 7.5-10 cm long ………… C. nitida
16b. Pseudobulbs 2.5-4 cm long …… C. corymbosa
17a. Lip with thin membraneous margins.........
…………….....…………………… C. suaveolens
17b. Lip with firm edges…………………..………. 18
4a.
Lip with 5 keels …………………….C. griffithii
18a. Inflorescence heteranthous ………. C. flaccida
4b.
Lip with 2 or 3 keels …………………....………5
18b. Inflorescence proteranthous to synanthous......19
5a.
Dorsal sepal more than 1.5 cm long ........…….6
5b.
Dorsal sepal less than 1.5 cm long......C. ghatakii
19a. Leaves lanceolate-linear with 3 very prominent
veins …………...........................…….. C. trinervis
6a.
Lip with fimbriate keels…....……… C. barbata
6b.
Lip with crenulate or dentate keels ………….. 7
7a.
Midlobe of lip broadly ovate, 3 lobulate with 3
minute dentate to entire and undulate keels near
the base, keels becoming irregular papillae
……..................................................... C. holochila
7b.
Midlobe of lip suborbicular or cordate, margin
erose, 2 crenulate keels terminating at the base
of the midlobe …………………………C. stricta
19b. Leaves linear, finely nerved ………. C. viscosa
1. Coelogyne barbata Griffith, Itin. Not. 3: 280.1851;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:839.1890; Mukerjee, Notes
Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3): 151. 1953; Deb, Bull.
Bot. Surv. India 3(2):126.1961; Das & Jain, Fasc. Fl.
India 5: 7.1980; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 87. 2001 Clayton, The Genus Coelogyne
32. 2002.
8a.
Pseudobulbs ovoid or ellipsoid ........................ 9
8b.
Pseudobulbs cylindric or narrowly
ovoid……………………………........C. longipes
Griffith’s type originated in Mawsmai, Meghalaya.
George Watt was the first to collect this species from
Manipur (George Watt 7452, CAL!) followed by
Meebold in December 1907 (Meebold 6926, CAL!) and
Mukerjee (Dr S. K. Mukerjee 3238, CAL!). Deb also
collected this species.
9a.
Flowers white to brown, sidelobes of lip
brown…………………........………. C. schultesii
2. Coelogyne corymbosa Lindl., Fol. Orch. Coelogyne
7.1852; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 831. 1890; King &
22 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 134. T.
185.1898; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh
21(3): 161. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):126.
1961; Das & Jain, Fasc. Fl India 5: 9. 1980; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 87. 2001; Clayton,
The Genus Coelogyne 187. 2002.
Mukerjee recorded this species from Ukhrul at
2000 m.
3. Coelogyne cristata Lindl., Coll. Bot. sub t. 33.1821;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 829. 1890; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 133. Pl. 184.1898; Das
& Jain, Fasc. Fl. India 5:9.1980; Devi & Ghatak, Proc.
5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing. 74.1984; Ghatak & Devi
in Vij (Ed.) Biol. Cons. Cult. Orch. 358.1986; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 87. 2001;
Clayton, The Genus Coelogyne 173. 2002.
Devi and Ghatak reported this species from Ukhrul
at 1900 m.
4. Coelogyne fimbriata Lindl., Bot. Reg. 11:
T.868.1825; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:836.1890;
Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):
151. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):126.1961;
Das & Jain, Fasc. Fl.India 5: 10.1980; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 87. 2001; Clayton,
The Genus Coelogyne 51. 2002.
Mukerjee recorded this species from Khangkhui at
2300 m.
5. Coelogyne flaccida Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 39.1830;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 829.1890; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 133. Pl. 183. 1898;
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 29(2):38. 1975; Das &
Jain, Fasc. Fl. India 5: 10.1980; Chauhan in Pathak et
al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 87. 2001; Clayton, The
Genus Coelogyne 51. 2002.
Das and Jain included this species in the revision as
occurring in Manipur.
6. Coelogyne ghataki Paul, Basu & Biswas, J. Bombay
Nat. Hist. Soc. 86(3):425. 1989; Clayton, The Genus
Coelogyne 34. 2002.
This species was described based on Dr J. N. Ghatak’s
collection from Imphal Valley. It is related to C.
griffthii Hook. f. but differs in having a shorter
inflorescence bearing yellow flowers, 3 veined sepals,
smaller petals and lip with ovate-oblong sidelobes
and 2 keels.
7. Coelogyne griffithii Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 838.
1890 & Ic. Pl. t. 2108.1894; Das & Jain, Fasc. Fl. India
5: 12.1980; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci.
& Com. 87. 2001; Clayton, The Genus Coelogyne 35. 2002.
J. D. Hooker described this species based on Watt’s
collection (6780, CAL!) from Khongui Valley in
Manipur and Griffith’s collection from Patkoye Mts
(5091, K), Upper Assam.
8. Coelogyne holochila P. F. Hunt & Summerh.,
Kew Bull. 20:52. 1966; Das & Jain, Fasc. Fl India 5:
15. 1980; Clayton, The Genus Coelogyne 35. 2002. C.
elata W. J. Hook., Bot. Mag. 83:t.5001.1857, non Lindl.
1830.
This species was described by Hunt and
Summerhayes who found that one of the Coelogynes
drawn in Karenzlin and Pfitzer’s monograph did not
represent the true C. elata Lindl. Kew had several
collections of this species which Hunt and
Summerhayes used for drawing up a description.
9. Coelogyne longipes Lindl., Fol. Orch. Coelogyne
10.1954; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:839.1890;
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 29(2):80.1975; Das &
Jain, Fasc. Fl. India 5: 16.1980; Ormerod, Austr. Orch.
Rev. 62(1): 22. 1997; Clayton, The Genus Coelogyne
44. 2002.
Slender cylindric to very narrowly ovoid
pseudobulbs, lemon yellow flowers with lip broadly
margined brown on sidelobes and epichile are very
characteristic of this species. Mukerjee collected it
from Ukhrul at 1900 m. on 4.9.1948 (Dr S. K. Mukerjee
3439, CAL!). Sinha reported it in 1954 from Mao at
8000’ (S. C. Sinha 1893, CAL!)
10. Coelogyne micrantha Lindl., Gard. Chron.
173.1855; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 836.1890 &
6:194.1890; Das & Jain, Fasc. Fl. India 5: 16. 1980.
Flowers of this species are pale brown, c. 1 cm across;
lip has a broadly oblong and retuse midlobe, pale
brown with dark brown spots.
11. Coelogyne nitida (Wallich ex D. Don) Lindl.,
Coll. Bot. Sub T. 33.1822; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot.
Ark. 29(2):53.1975; Das & Jain, Fasc. Fl. India 5:
19.1980; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. &
Com. 87. 2001; Clayton, The Genus Coelogyne 189.
2002. Cymbidium nitidum Wallich ex D. Don, Prodr.
Fl. Nepal. 35. 1825. Coelogyne ochracea Lindl., Bot.
Reg. T. 69, 1846; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:831. 1890;
King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8:
132. Pl. 182. 1898:
Devi and Ghatak reported this species from Mao at
1757 m. We got our specimens from Khongampatt.
Specimens Examined: INDIA: Manipur; Kason Khullen,
flowered under cultivation 25.11.1996 C. Sathish Kumar
28752 (TBGT!).
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
12. Coelogyne ovalis Lindl., Bot. Reg. 24:91, misc.
171.1838; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:836. 1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 135. Pl.
187.1898; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh
21(3):151.1953; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot.Ark.
29(2):23.1975; Das & Jain, Fasc. Fl. India 5: 23.1980;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 87.
2001; Clayton, The Genus Coelogyne 53. 2002.
Mukerjee recorded it from Ukhrul.
13. Coelogyne prolifera Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch.
40.1830; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 838. 1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 137. Pl.
190.1898; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 29(2):78.1975;
Das & Jain, Fasc. Fl. India 5: 23.1980; Devi & Ghatak
Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing.74.1984; Ghatak
& Devi in Vij (Ed.), Biol. Cons. Cult. Orch. 358. 1986;
Ormerod, Austr. Orch. Rev. 62(1):21.1997; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 87. 2001;
Clayton, The Genus Coelogyne 44. 2002. C. flavida
Lindl., Fol. Orch. Coelogyne 10. 1854.
S. J. Das determined an old specimen (A. Meebold 9219,
CAL!) from Lubza as belonging to this species from
Manipur. Devi and Ghatak reported it from
Chinanlong at 1054 m.
14. Coelogyne punctulata Lindl., Coll. Bot. Sub t. 33.
1821; Das & Jain, Fasc. Fl. India 5: 24. 1980; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 87. 2001;
Clayton, The genus Coelogyne 191. 2002. Cymbidium
nitidum Roxb., Fl. Ind. 3:612.1832, non Wallich ex D.
Don 1825. Coelogyne nitida (Roxb.) Hook. f., Fl. Brit.
India 5:837. 1890.
Das and Jain segregated two forms under this with
the typical one occurring in Manipur.
15. Coelgyne pulverula Teijsm. & Binnend., Nat.
Tijdschr. Ned. Ind. 24:300. 1862. C. dayana Rchb. f.,
Gard. Chron. 2: s. 21:826.1824; Seidenfaden, Dansk
Bot.Ark. 29(2):65.1975; Ghatak & Devi in Vij (Ed.) Biol.
Cons. Cult. Orch. 360. 1986; Clayton, The Genus
Coelogyne 145. 2002.
Ghatak and Devi reported the occurrence of this
otherwise Malayan species from Ukhrul.
16. Coelogyne schultesii Jain & Das, Proc. Ind. Acad.
Sci. 87 B(5):119.1978; Das & Jain, Fasc. Fl. India 5: 28.
1980; Ormerod, Austr. Orch. Rev. 62(1):21.1997;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 87.
2001; Clayton, The Genus Coelogyne 46. 2002. C.
prolifera auct. non Lindl.: Lindl., Fol. Orch. Coelogyne
10.1854 p.p.; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 838.1890. p. p.;
King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 137,
T. 190.1898; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot.Ark. 29(2):78, f.
23
33. 1975. C. flavida auct. non Lindl.:Seidenfaden,
Dansk Bot.Ark. 29(2):82, p. p. fig. 37 & 38. 1975.
This was described by Jain and Das who sorted out
the allied species around C. prolifera Lindl. At CAL
there is a specimen collected by Meebold (4766, CAL!)
from Laimatak (5000’) in February 1906 and
determined by S. J. Das as belonging to this species.
Ormerod clarified further that several authors have
wrongly called C. schultesii as C. prolifera following
an early misidentification. The flowerless type
specimen of C. prolifera even has a sketch of a labellum
representing C. schultesii glued on to it by Lindley.
17. Coelogyne stricta (D. Don) Schltr., Fed. Repert.
Beih. IV. 184.1919; Das & Jain, Fasc. Fl. India 5:
28.1980; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. &
Com. 87. 2001; Clayton, The Genus Coelogyne 204.
2002. Cymbidium strictum D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal.
35. 1825. Coelogyne elata Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 40.1830;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 838. 1890; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 136. Pl. 188. 1898.
18. Coelogyne suaveolens (Lindl.) Hook. f., Fl. Brit.
India 5: 832.1890; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 29(2):
52.1975; Das & Jain, Fasc. Fl. India 5: 29. 1980; Clayton,
The genus Coelogyne 204. 2002. Pholidota suaveolens
Lindl., Gard. Chron. 372. 1856.
Seidenfaden cited Clarke’s collection from Manipur.
19. Coelogyne trinervis Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch.
41.1830; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 832.1890;
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 29(2): 44.1975; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 87. 2001;
Clayton, The Genus Coelogyne 214. 2002.
This is a Burmese species.
20. Coelogyne viscosa Rchb. f., Berl. Allg. Gartenz.
24: 218. 1856; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 832.1890;
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 29(2):37.1975; Das &
Jain, Fasc. Fl. India 5: 30.1980; Chauhan in Pathak et
al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 87. 2001; Clayton, The
Genus Coelogyne 215. 2002. Coelogyne graminifolia
Parish & Rchb. f., Trans. Linn. Soc. 30: 146.1874; Hook.
f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 831.1890.
Flowers white with brown streaks on sidelobes and
a yellow patch on the midlobe.
Corymborkis Thouars
A pantropical genus of about 5 species (Rasmussen,
1977) of tall, woody ground orchids with a tuft of
vermiform roots, a long reed like unbranched stem
bearing narrow elliptic to ovate, leathery leaves and
an axillary panicle of white, fragrant flowers. Only
one species occurs in India including Manipur.
24 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
Corymborkis veratrifolia (Reinw.) Blume, Col. Orch.
Arch. Ind. 125, pl. 42-43.1859; Rasmussen, Bot.
Tidsskr. 71:170. 1977; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark.
32(2):114.1978; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 87. 2001. Hysteria veratrifolia Reinw., Nov.
Pl. Ind. Gen. Syll. Pl. Nov. 2:15. 1825-26. Corymbis
veratrifolia (Reinw.) Rchb. f. in Flora 48:184.1885;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 91. 1890.
Crepidium Blume
An Indo-Malesian genus of over 200 species of
ground orchids formerly included under Malaxis
(Microstylis) and characterized by lip auricles
stretching backwards on both sides of the
gynostemium. Fourteen species are known to occur
in India. Two species have been recorded from
Manipur.
1a.
Lip divided into sidelobes and midlobe by an
indentation …………............…….. M. purpurea
1b.
Lip not divisible by indentation.....M. acuminata
1. Crepidium acuminatum (D. Don) Szlach., Syst.
Orch. 123.1995. Malaxis acuminata D. Don, Prodr. Fl.
Nepal. 29. 1825; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard.
Edinburgh 21(3):153. 1953; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot.
Ark. 33(1):55.1978; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 92. 2001. Microstylis wallichii Lindl.,
Gen. Sp. Orch. 20.1830; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:686.
1890. Malaxis wallichii (Lindl.)Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv.
India 3: 128. 1962.
1. Cryptochilus lutea Lindl., J. Linn. Soc. 3: 20.1838;
Clarke, J. Linn. Soc. 25: 72. 1889; Hook. f., Fl. Brit.
India 5: 827.1890; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 87. 2001.
Clarke collected this species from Kohima, Nagaland.
2. Cryptochilus sanguinea Wallich, Tent. Fl.Nepal.36.
t. 26.1822; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 827.1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 163. Pl.
220.1898; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh
21(3): 151.1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):
126.1961; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. &
Com. 87. 2001.
Mukerjee recorded this species from Khayang at
2,300m.
Cymbidium Sw.
An Indo-Malesio-Australian genus of 44 species (Du
Puy & Cribb, 1988) of both terrestrial and epiphytic
orchids characterized by clustering pseudobulbs
bearing thick and fleshy, loriform leaves and
drooping or erect racemes of strikingly colourful and
showy flowers. Twenty four species and three
subspecies are known from India. Manipur is known
to have 15 species.
1a.
Pollinia 2………………………..……………….2
1b.
Pollinia 4…………………………………………9
2a.
Lip attached to base of column only or to a short
column foot, hinged, moveable…..................…3
2a.
Lip attached to base and sidelobes, not
moveable …………………......………………….5
3a.
Leaves linear or ligulate; column without
foot………………………............……………….4
3b.
Leaves broad lanceolate stoutly petiolate;
column with a small foot …...... C. devonianum
4a.
Midlobe of lip with pink to purple longitudinal
stripes ………………...............……… C. bicolor
4b.
Midlobe of lip with purple spots....C. aloifolium
5a.
Pseudobulbs fusiform or subcylindric; flowers
white or light greenish yellow with a median
yellow line on disc…………………. C. mastersii
A Himalayan genus of two epiphytic species
characterized by pseudobulbous stems and erect
scape bearing brightly coloured tubular flowers. Both
the species are found in India extending from North
West Himalaya to Manipur through Nepal.
5b.
Pseudobulbs ovoid; flowers of different colour
with two prominent keels on lip……............…6
6a.
Leaves less than 20 cm long; petals porrect
forming a hood over column …....... C. tigrinum
1a.
Flowers red ……………………….C. sanguinea
6b.
1b.
Flowers yellow ………………………....C. lutea
Leaves more than 25 cm long; petals spreading
not forming a hood………..............……………7
Mukerjee recorded this species from Chammu at
1000 m. growing near bamboo groves.
2. Crepidium josephianum (Rchb. f.)Marg., Ann. Bot.
Fenn. 39(1): 65.2002. Microstylis josephiana Rchb.f., Bot.
Mag. 103: T. 6325.1877; Ridley, J. Linn. Soc. 24: 336.1887;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 687. 1890. Malaxis josephiana
(Rchb. f.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Pl. 2:673. 1891; Matthew,
Kew Bull. 34(21): 76. 1979, nom. superfl. Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 92. 2001.
This species with its short, broad and rounded basal
auricles, as per Szlachetko’s characterization, comes
within the genus Crepidium.
Cryptochilus Wallich
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
7a.
Inflorescence erect; sepals and petals white or
rose, dotted or lined with purple near base
..........................................……………. C. insigne
7b.
Inflorescence arcuate; sepals and petals yellow
to green …………….................…………………8
8a.
Sepals and petals apple green; lip with red dots
on sidelobes…….................……C. hookerianum
8b.
Sepals and petals yellow to greenish yellow; lip
unspotted on sidelobe ................... C. lowianum
9a.
Leaves elliptic-lanceolate..……..C. lancifolium
9b.
Leaves linear or narrowly oblong…………….10
10a. Inflorescence usually 1 flowered....C. eburneum
10b. Inflorescence more than 1 flowered …………..11
11a. Lip saccate at base ……………………………. 12
11b. Lip not saccate at base………………………….13
12a. Flowers pendent, companulate.......................
........................................................C. longifolium
12b. Flowers erect, not campanulate.........C. iridoides
13a. Leaves 2-4 from each psuedobulb.....................
.....................................................C. munronianum
13b. Leaves 5-10 from each pseudobulb ...……….14
14a. Floral bracts equalling or exceeding the ovary
……………...............……………C. cyperifolium
14b. Floral bracts shorter than the ovary...........
……………………………………. C. ensifolium
1. Cymbidium aloifolium (L.) Sw., Nov. Act. Soc. Sci.
Upsal. 6: 73. 1799; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:10. 1890 p.
p.; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8:
189. t. 252. 1898; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot.72: 77. 1983;
Du Puy & Cribb, The Genus Cymbidium 62. 1988;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 87.
2001. Epidendrum aloifolium L., Sp. Pl. 2:953. 1753.
A widespread species of Indo-Malesia, this occurs
commonly in Imphal Valley forming large clumps.
Devi and Ghatak recorded it from Moreh.
2. Cymbidium bicolor Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch.
164.1833; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 11. 1890. p. p. excl.
syn.; Du Puy & Cribb, The Genus Cymbidium 67. 1988.
25
Cymbidium 173.1988; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 88. 2001.
Devi and Ghatak reported this species from
Tamenglong.
4. Cymbidium devonianum Paxt., Bot. Mag. 10:
97.1843; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 10. 1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 190. Pl.
253.1898; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. &
Com. 88. 2001. C. sikkimense Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:
9. 1890 & Ic. Pl. T. 2117. 1892.
Lip is obscurely 3 lobed ; disc with 2 ridges ending in
2 calli.
5. Cymbidium eburneum Lindl., Bot. Reg. 33:t.
67.1847; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 11. 1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 133. 1898;
Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing.
74. 1984; Du Puy & Cribb, The Genus Cymbidium 133.
1988; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com.
88. 2001.
Devi and Ghatak recorded this species from
Tamenglong at 1278 m.
6. Cymbidium ensifolium (L.) Sw., Nov. Act. Soc.
Sci. Upsal. 6:77. 1799; Du Puy & Cribb, The Genus
Cymbidium 156.1988; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 88. 2001. Epidendrum ensifolium L.,
Sp. Pl. 2: 954. 1753.
Ghatak and Devi reported this from Tamenglong at
1274 m.
7. Cymbidium hookerianum Rchb. f., Gard. Chron.7.
1866; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 72: 89. 1984; Du Puy
& Cribb, The Genus Cymbidium 119. 1988; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 88. 2001. C.
grandiflorum auct. non Sw.: Griffith, Notulae
3:342.1851; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 12. 1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 192. Pl.
256.1898; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh
21(3): 151. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):126.
1961.
Mukerjee recorded it from Chammu at 1300 m. Deb
collected it from Lamdam.
This species has purple spotted flowers and is often
mixed with C. aloifolium in herbaria.
8. Cymbidium insigne Rolfe, Gard. Chron. 2:
387.1904; Kingdon-Ward, J. Roy. Hort. Soc. 73: 43.
1948; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 72: 90. 1984; Du Puy
& Cribb, The Genus Cymbidium 128. 1988.
3. Cymbidium cyperifolium Wallich ex Lindl., Gen.
Sp. Orch. 163.1833; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:13. 1890;
King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 186.
t. 248.1898; Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch.
Cong. Sing.74. 1984; Du Puy & Cribb, The Genus
9. Cymbidium iridoides D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal.
36. 1825; Hook. f. Fl. Brit. India 6: 14. 1890; Du Puy &
Cribb, The Genus Cymbidium 115.1988; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 88. 2001. C.
giganteum Wallich ex Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 163.1833;
26 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:12. 1890; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8:191.1898; Devi &
Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing. 74. 1984.
Devi and Ghatak reported this species from Ukhrul.
10. Cymbidium lancifolium Hook., Exot. Fl. 1: T.
51.1823; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 9. 1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 185. Pl. 247.
1898; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 72: 68.1984; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 88. 2001.
11. Cymbidium. longifolium D. Don, Prodr. Fl.
Nepal. 36. 1825. C. elegans Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 163.
1833; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta
8: 1898:194. t. 259; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard.
Edinburgh 21(3): 151. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India
3(2):126.1961; Ghatak & Devi in Vij (Ed.) Biol. Cons.
Cult. Orch. 35. 1986; Du Puy & Cribb, The Genus
Cymbidium 145.1988; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 88. 2001. Cyperorchis elegans
(Lindl.)Blume, Rumphia 4:47.1848; Hook. f., Fl. Brit.
India 6: 14. 1890.
Mukerjee collected this species from Ukhrul at 1600
m. Ghatak and Devi reported it from Jiribam at 50 m.
12. Cymbidium lowianum Rchb. f., Gard. Chron.
n.s.11:332, 404. t. 56.1879; Seidenfaden. Opera Bot. 72:
86. 1984; Du Puy & Cribb, The Genus Cymbidium 123.
1988. C. giganteum var. lowianum (Rchb. f.) Rchb. f.,
Gard. Chron. n. s. 7: 684. 1887.
We saw a specimen under cultivation at Thoubal. This
species is quite likely to be found in Manipur.
13. Cymbidium mastersii Griffith ex Lindl., Bot. Mag.
31:t. 50. 1845; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard.
Calcutta 8: 195. t. 261.1898; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide
to Iden. Cult. 478. 1979; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 72:
91. 1984; Du Puy & Cribb, The Genus Cymbidium
140.1988; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. &
Com. 88. 2001. Cyperorchis mastersii Benth., J. Linn.
Soc.18:318.1881; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:15. 1890.
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 72: 90. 1984; Du Puy & Cribb,
The Genus Cymbidium 154. 1988.
Fig. 3e
We got our specimens from Khongampatt.
Specimens Examined : INDIA: Manipur: Khongapatt C.
Sathish Kumar 28733 (TBGT!)
Cyrtosia Blume
An Asian saprophytic genus of about 7 species
characterized by delicate habit and terminal
inflorescence of gamotepalous flowers, succulent
indehiscent fruits and wingless seeds. It was
reinstated by Garay (1986). Three species are known
from India. One is recorded from Manipur.
Cyrtosia lindleyana Hook. f. & Thoms., Illustr.
Himalayan Plants t. 22. 1855. Galeola lindleyana
(Hook. f. & Thoms.)Rchb. f., Xen. Orch.2:78. 1862;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 88. 1890; Chauhan in Pathak
et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 91. 2001.Erythrochis
lindleyana (Hook. f. & Thoms.) Rchb. f. in Bonplandia
5:37.1857.
This is a large saprophyte growing over trees and
shrubs.
Dendrobium Sw.
An Indo-Malesio-Australian genus of about 900
species of mostly epiphytic, but occasionally
lithophytic orchids with plurinodal pseudobulbous
stems and bifarious, variously shaped leaves and
variously coloured flowers. India is known to have
102 species and two subspecies. Forty nine species
have been reported from Manipur.
1a.
Leaves with distinct sheaths, often covering
most of the internodes…………..........………..2
1b.
Leaf sheaths insignificant ....…………………39
2a.
Stems wiry, leaves laterally compressed ……3
2b.
Stems with atleast some of the internodes fleshy
and swollen; leaves not laterally compressed....4
3a.
Stems with an upper floriferous part; flowers
white ………..............………….D. acinaciforme
3b.
Stems not as above, inflorescence lateral; flowers
yellow to greenish yellow................. D. anceps
4a.
Leaf sheaths and flowering region with black
hairs ……………...............…………….………..5
4a.
Leaf sheaths and flowering region without black
hairs …………….........................……………… 12
5a.
Mentum saccate …………………D. bellatulum
5b.
Mentum extinctoriform……......….……………6
Pradhan recorded this species from Manipur.
14. Cymbidium munronianum King & Pantling, J.
As. Soc. Bengal 64:338.1895; Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard.
Calcutta 8:187. t. 249.1898; Du Puy & Cribb, The genus
Cymbidium 166. 1988: Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 88. 2001.
Ghatak and Devi recorded this species from
Tamenglong at 1274 m. as a new record for Manipur.
15. Cymbidium tigrinum Parish ex Hook., Bot. Mag.
90: T. 5457.1864; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 9. 1890;
Krishna & Sastry, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 14(14):179.1975; Hynniewta, Orch. Rev. 87:219. 1979;
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
27
6a.
Width of epichile about equal to the width of
sidelobes when flattened ………...............……..7
17b. Fimbriae on edges of lip long, distant
……………………....………….D. brymerianum
6a.
Width of epichile less than width of sidelobes
when flattened ………............…………………9
18a. Sepals and petals deep orange to coral
red…………………......………..…D. dickasonii
7a.
Apical lobe of lip fimbriate………D. longicornu
18b. Sepals and petals bright yellow …………….19
7b.
Apical lobe of lip not fimbriate ……….....…….8
8a.
Epichile of lip triangular, acute at apex
.............................................................D. draconis
19a. Edges of lip incurved so as to form a............
pouch…………......………………D. moschatum
8b.
Epichile of lip orbicular, retuse at apex
……………………….....………… D. formosum
9a.
Petals ovate, much broader than the dorsal sepal
…………………….......................………………10
9b.
Petals ovate-lanceolate, not much broader than
the dorsal sepal ……......................…………… 11
10a. Epichile truncate with only an indistinct sinus,
usually minutely mucronulate ........... D. wattii
10b. Epichile with a deep V-shaped sinus
…..............................………….. D. infundibulum
11a. Midlobe obovate or rounded, crisped papillose,
disk fimbriate............................... D. cariniferum
11b. Midlobe orbicular ciliate, disk obscurely 3
ridged …………..........………… D. williamsonii
12a. Large plants; sepals and petals greenish yellow;
hypochile with some purple spots......D. parcum
12b. Small plants; sepals and petals deep orange to
bright yellow; hypochile without purple
spots……………………………………………13
19b. Edges of lip not incurved……....……………..20
20a. Flowers many (4-15) in lax raceme …………...21
20b. Flowers a few (1-5) subfascicled on a short
raceme………………..............…………………22
21a. Leaves obtuse to emarginate; lip lacking distinct
blotches ……….......................…….. D. chryseum
21b. Leaves acuminate; lip with 2 purple blotches
………………....................………….. D. gibsonii
22a. Flowers after shedding the leaves; lip pubescent
on veins and centre above, no dark
blotch………….………………D. heterocarpum
22b. Flowers and leaves together; lip with very short
and fat papillae and with a central dark blotch
above ……….………………………………… 23
23a. Lip with a central dark blotch; operculum warty
………………............................. D. chrysanthum
23b. Lip with two dark blotches; operculum glabrous
……….................................……….D. ochreatum
24a. Stems with swollen nodes or internodes
alternating with constrictions …..........……….24
13a. Lip with or without sidelobes, usually with
varying ornaments …..........………………….43
24b. Stems without swollen nodes or internodes and
alternating constrictions…...................……….25
13b. Lip without sidelobes, upper surface papillous
to pubescent, without ornaments except for
callus at base…………………………………..14
25a. Stems branching, thin wiry, swollen at nodes,
atleast on branches…....................... D. falconeri
14a. Sepals and petals strong yellow to copper or
coral red……………................………………..15
14b. Sepals and petals purple or white with purple
tips, rarely pure white or cream….............…..28
15a. Lip strongly plumose (branched)-fimbriate at
edges………………...................……………….16
15b. Lip erose to finely dentate on margin .............17
16a. Lip with a single purple blotch…......………..18
16b. Lip with two purple blotches....D. hookerianum
17a. Fimbriae on edges of lip short, dense
.........................................................D. fimbriatum
25b. Stems not branching, fleshy….....……………26
26a. Column foot with a distinct nectar cavity at
distal end……………....................…………….27
26b. Column foot without any distinct nectar
cavity……………….................……D. pendulum
27a. Lip longer than dorsal sepal, upper surface
finely papillose, lower surface only papillous at
edges ……………..……….. D. gratioitissimum
27b. Lip shorter than dorsal sepal, both surfaces
papillose except at base............... D. wardianum
28a. Petals finely ciliate or serrulate on margins.....29
28b. Petals entire on margins ……………..………30
28 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
29a. Lip longer than dorsal sepal, edges longciliate………………..........……D. devonianum
41b. Stems fusiform tapering towards apex or nearly
cylindrical…………......................…………..….42
29b. Lip shorter than dorsal sepal, edges short-ciliate
………………..........................……….. D. parishii
42a. Inflorescence leaf opposed, axillary, 10- to many
flowered with long narrow sepals and petals;
dorsal sepal more than 1.5 cm..........D. denudans
30a. Scape long (2-10 cm); lip with two dark blotches
……….…….......................…….….D. pulchellum
30b. Scape short (1-1.5 cm); with no or a single dark
blotch ………….......................………..……….. 31
42b. Inflorescence lateral and terminal, 7-10 flowered
with sepals and petals not as above ; dorsal
sepal less than 1 cm ……………… D. eriiflorum
31a. Basal callus of lip divided into three keels........32
43a. Pseudobulbs 1-leaved ……………...…………44
31b. Basal callus of lip, if any, fading into lip…….33
43b. Pseudobulbs 2-5 leaved …………..………….45
32a. Petals broader than the dorsal sepal................
.............................................................D. aphyllum
44a. Inflorescence many flowered; lip pubescent only
at base and centre, margins glabrous
................................................................. D. lindleyi
32b. Petals and sepals similar ……… D. primulinum
33a. Inflorescence one flowered; lip longer than
dorsal sepal…….............…………. D. cretaceum
33b. Inflorescence more than one-flowered; lip
shorter than dorsal sepal ……….......………. 34
34a. Petals twice as broad as the dorsal sepal or more
…………………………......................………… 35
34b. Petals not twice as broad as the dorsal sepal.....36
35a. Lip 3-lobed or obscurely so………….....…….37
35b. Lip simple………………….........……………..38
44b. Inflorescence 1-2-flowered; lip pubescent
throughout ………….........……….. D. jenkinsii
45a. Sepals and petals white with a flash of yellow,
violet or rose…………..................……………. 46
45b. Sepals and petals yellow ……....……………..47
46a. Stems with many ridges; flowers in dense
inflorescence……….........…….. D. thyrsiflorum
46b. Stems 4 angled; flowers in lax raceme......
……………………......……………… D. farmeri
36a. Lip with a purple patch at base....D. transparens
47a. Flowers on a dense inflorescence; dorsal sepal
about 15 mm long …...............… D. densiflorum
36b. Lip without any purple patch at base.........
..............................................................D. candidum
47b. Flowers on a lax inflorescence: dorsal sepal
about 18-20 mm long …………..........………. 48
37a. Sepals and petals usually purple or purple
tinted; lip with a papillous callus on claw
..................................................................D. nobile
48a. Stems much laterally compressed; petals with
entire edges…….........................….. D. sulcatum
37b. Sepals and petals pure white; without any
papillous callus on claw….........….. D. bensonae
38a. Lip with a basal papillous callus; dorsal sepal 3
cm or more long …..............……. D. lituiflorum
38b. Lip without basal callus; dorsal sepal less than
2 cm long ………...............……… D. crepidatum
39a. Inflorescence 2-6 flowered………………….....40
39b. Inflorescence of many small flowers……....…41
40a. Lip with a fat pubescent transverse wall
separating hypochile from epichile; flowers 4
per scape …………………….......… D. linguella
40b. Lip not as above; flowers two per scape
………………….........…………… D. stuposum
41a. Stems pseudobulbous, ovoid to conical
...………….........……………D. porphyrochilum
48b. Stems not laterally compressed; petals minutely
dentate along edges .................. D. chrysotoxum
1. Dendrobium acinaciforme Roxb., Hort. Beng. 63.
1814, nom. nud.; Fl. Ind. 3:487.1832; Hook. f., Fl. Brit.
India 5: 723. 1890; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83:209.
1985; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com.
88. 2001. D. spatella Rchb. f., Hamb. Gartenz. 21:298.
1865; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:725. 1890.
2. Dendrobium anceps Sw., Kgl. Sv. Vet. Nya Handl.
21:246. 1800; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India5:724. 1890; King
& Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 41. Pl.
54. 1898; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83:222. 1985.
We have seen a specimen under cultivation at
Thoubal.
Characteristic of the section Aporum to which the
above two species belong, they have leaves laterally
flattened and arranged bifariously on the stem.
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
3. Dendrobium aphyllum (Roxb.)Fischer in Gamble,
Fl. Madras 8:1416. 1928; Seidenfaden 1985:70.
Limodorum aphyllum Roxb., Corom. Pl. 1, 2: 34. T. 41.
1795. Dendrobium pierardii Roxb. ex Hook., Ex. Fl. 1:T.
9.1822; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:738. 1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 51. Pl.
72.1898; Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch.
Cong. Sing.75.1984; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 88. 2001.
This is a very common species. We found it at
Thoubal, Saram, Tupul and Moreh. Roxburgh
published two binomials – Limodorum aphyllum and
Dendrobium pierardii – for the same species originating
from two different localities at different times and
hence, there is a lot of confusion around this species.
We do not agree with Christenson in merging it under
D. macrostachyum Lindl., an entirely different species.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Tupul 18.03.1996 C.
Sathish Kumar (TBGT!).
4.Dendrobium bellatulum Rolfe in Forbes &
Hemsley, J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 36:10.1903; Pradhan, Ind.
Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.330. 1979; Seidenfaden,
Opera Bot. 83: 103. 1985; Chauhan in Pathak et al.
(Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 88. 2001.
Pradhan recorded this species from Manipur.
5. Dendrobium bensonae Rchb. f., Bot. Zeit. 25:230.
1867; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:739.1890; Kataki &
Krishna, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 12: 260. 1970:; Pradhan,
Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 314. 1979; Devi &
Ghatak Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing.74. 1984;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83: 86.1985; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 88. 2001.
Pradhan and later Devi and Ghatak recorded this
species from Manipur; the latter reported the variety
xanthinum Rchb. f. from Tengnoupal.
6. Dendrobium brymerianum Rchb. f., Gard. Chron.
2: 323.1875; Hook. f. in Bot. Mag. T. 638. 1878 & Fl.
Brit. India 5: 745. 1890; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83:
36. 1985:
7. Dendrobium candidum Wallich ex Lindl., Bot. Reg.
Misc. 36.1838; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:735.890;
Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):
151. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):126.1961;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 88.
2001.
There is a specimen at CAL collected by Dr S K
Mukerjee (2855, CAL!) on 10 May 1948 from
Phungum at 2000 m.
8. Dendrobium cariniferum Rchb. f., Gard. Chron.
611.1869; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 720.1890; Mukerjee,
29
Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):151.1953; Deb,
Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3 (2):126. 1961; Seidenfaden,
Opera Bot. 83: 120.1985. Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 88. 2001.
Watt collected this species on 13 April 1882 from
Sirohi forests where it was growing on rocks in open
places (G. Watt 6500, CAL!). A duplicate of this
collection is available at Kew.
9. Dendrobium chrysanthum Lindl., Bot. Reg. 15:T.
1299.1830; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:747. 1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 55. T.
77.1898; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 322.
1979; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83: 53.1985; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 88. 2001.
This species is common in Manipur.
10. Dendrobium chryseum Rolfe, Gard. Chron.
1:233.1888; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:748. 1890.
Dendrobium clavatum Lindl., Wall. Cat. No.2004. 1829
nom. nud.; Paxt. Fl. Gard. 2:104. T. 189, non Roxb;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:746. 1890; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 53.Pl. 60.1898;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83:43.1985; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 88. 2001.
This species has a simple lip narrowed and clawed
at base, orbicular–reniform, concave, minutely
pubescent to tomentose with shortly fimbriate
margin.
11. Dendrobium chrysotoxum Lindl., Bot. Reg. 33,
sub T. 19 and T. 36.1847; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India
5:750.1890; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard.
Edinburgh 21(3):151. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India
3(2):126.1961; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.
305.1979; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83: 19.1985; Devi
& Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing.74.
1984.
This is fairly common in Manipur. Mukerjee collected
it from Ukhrul at 1700 m. on 22.5. 1948 (S K Mukerjee
2908, CAL!). Devi and Ghatak recorded it from Sirohi
Hill, Chakpikarong and Imphal. We collected it from
Tupul, Thoubal and Moreh where it was plenty.
Specimens Examined: INDIA: Manipur; Khongtheng beyond
Tengnoupal 25.03.1996 C. Sathish Kumar 28727 (TBGT!).
12. Dendrobium crepidatum Lindl. & Paxt., Paxt. Fl.
Gard. 1:63. fig. 45.1850; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:740.
1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta
8:48.Pl. 66.1898; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden.
Cult. 319. 1979; Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN
Orch. Cong. Sing.74.1984; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot.
83: 80.1985; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci.
& Com. 88. 2001.
30 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
Devi and Ghatak record this species from
Chakpikarong.
13. Dendrobium cretaceum Lindl., Bot. Reg. 33:T. 62.
1847; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India5:736.1890; Pradhan, Ind.
Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 708. 1979; Seidenfaden,
Opera Bot. 83: 75.1985; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 88. 2001.
Deb collected this species from Mao at 7000’ on 11
February 1954 (D. B. Deb 1891, CAL!).
14. Dendrobium densiflorum Lindl. in Wallich, Pl.
As. Rar. 1:34:T. 40. 1830; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India
1890:748 (excl. syn.); King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot.
Gard. Calcutta 8: 56. T. 79. 1898; Pradhan, Ind. Orch.
Guide to Iden. Cult.305. 1979; Seidenfaden, Opera
Bot.83: 23. 1985; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 89. 2001.
This is a species fairly common in Manipur.
15. Dendrobium denudans D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal.
34. 1825; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 715. 1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 1898:45.
Pl. 62; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh
21(3):151. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India
3(2):127.1961; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.
338. 1979; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83:148.1985;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 89.
2001.
Mukerjee recorded this species from Ukhrul.
16. Dendrobium devonianum Paxt., Bot. Mag.
7:169.1840; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:743.1890;
Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide Iden. Cult.1: 318.1976;
Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing.
74. 1984; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83:64.1985;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com.
89.2001.
Devi and Ghatak reported this species from
Khudenthabi at 1342 m.
17. Dendrobium dickasonii L. O. Williams, Bot. Mus.
Leafl. Harv. Univ. 8:107.1940; Seidenfaden, Opera
Bot.124:24. 1995. D. arachnites Rchb. f., Gard. Chron.
2:354.1874, non Thouars; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India
5:734.1890; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden.
Cult.1:313. 1976. D. seidenfadenii Senghas &
Bockemuhl, Die Orchidee 29(5): C.II.1978;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83: 41.1985; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 90. 2001.
Pradhan recorded this species from Manipur.
18. Dendrobium draconis Rchb. f., Bot. Zeit. 214.
1862; Hook. 1890:722; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to
Iden. Cult.1:330.1976; Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th
ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing. 75. 1984; Seidenfaden,
Opera Bot. 83:110.1985; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 89. 2001
Devi and Ghatak found it at Tengnoupal. Pradhan
recorded it from Manipur.
19. Dendrobium eriiflorum Griffith, Not. 3:316. & Ic.
T. 307.1851; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:715.1890 & Ann.
Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 5:5. T.7.1895; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 1898:44. T.
61; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh
21(3):151. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India
3(2):127.1961; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.
1:338. 1976; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83: 149.1985;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 89.
2001.
Mukerjee found this species in Ukhrul at 1800 m.
20. Dendrobium falconeri Hook., Bot. Mag. T.
4944.1856; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 742. 1890;
Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.1:318.1976;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot.83:55.1985; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 89. 2001.
It was J.D. Hooker who first cited its occurrence in
Manipur.
21. Dendrobium farmeri Paxt., Paxton’s Bot. Mag.
15:241.1849; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:750. 1890; King
& Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 57. Pl.
80. 1898; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden.
Cult.2:306.1979; Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN
Orch. Cong. Sing.75.1984; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot.
83: 24.1985; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci.
& Com. 89. 2001.
Devi and Ghatak reported this species from Jiribam.
22. Dendrobium fimbriatum Hook., Exot. Fl.
1:T.71.1823; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:745. 1890; King
& Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8:58. 1898;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83: 36. 1985. D. fimbriatum
var. oculatum Hook., Bot. Mag. T. 4160.1845; Hook. f.,
Fl. Brit. India 5: 745. 1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy.
Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 59. T. 82.1898; Pradhan, Ind.
Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 309. 1979; Devi & Ghatak
Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing. 75. 1984; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 89. 2001. Fig. 9a
This is fairly common in Manipur.
Specimens Examined: INDIA: Manipur: Thoubal 25.03.1996
C. Sathish Kumar 28735 (TBGT!).
23. Dendrobium formosum Roxb. ex Lindl. in
Wallich, Pl. As. Rar. 1:24. T. 29.1830; Hook. f., Fl. Brit.
India 5:721. 1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot.
Gard. Calcutta 8: 47. Pl. 65.1898; Pradhan, Ind. Orch.
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
Guide to Iden. Cult. 328. 1979; Devi & Ghatak, Proc.
5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing.75.1984; Seidenfaden,
Opera Bot.83:111.1985; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 89. 2001.
Devi and Ghatak reported this species from
Churachandpur.
31
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 89. 2001. D.
jamesianum Rchb. f., Gard. Chron. 554. 1869. D.
infundibulum Lindl. var. jamesianum (Rchb. f.)Veitch,
Orch. Man. 50.1837; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 721.
1890.
Fig. 8
24. Dendrobium gibsonii Lindl., Paxt. Bot. Mag. 5:
169.1838; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:746. 1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 58. T.
81.1898; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 47.
1979; Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong.
Sing. 75. 1984; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83:47.1985;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 89.
2001.
Devi and Ghatak reported it from Laimakhong.
25. Dendrobium gratiotissimum Rchb. f., Bot. Zeit.
23:99. 1865; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:743.1890;
Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 314. 1979;
Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing.
75. 1984; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83: 58.1985;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 89.
2001. D. boxallii Rchb. f., Gard. Chron. 1:5.1874; Devi
& Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing. 74.
1984.
Devi and Ghatak recorded this species from
Laimaton.
26. Dendrobium heterocarpum Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch.
73.1830; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India5:737. 1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8:53. T. 74.
1898; Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong.
Sing.75.1984; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83: 50.1985;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 89.
2001.
Devi and Ghatak reported this species from Imphal.
We collected it from between Saram and Kasom
Khullen.
Specimens Examined: INDIA: Manipur, Ukhrul
District:About 20 Kms before Kasom Khullen C. Sathish
Kumar 28722 (TBGT!) 24.03.1996.
27. Dendrobium hookerianum Lindl., J. Linn.Soc. 3:
8.1859; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:745.1890; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 89. 2001.
Lip is orbicular with a cuneate base, deeply fringed
with two purple blotches.
28. Dendrobium infundibulum Lindl., J. Linn. Soc.3:
16.1859; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:721.1890; Pradhan,
Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden.Cult. 330.1979; Devi &
Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing.75.1984;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83: 117.1985; Chauhan in
Figure 8. Dendrobium infundibulum Lindl. - Flower showing lip details
(after CSK 28726).
Devi and Ghatak reported this species and its variety
from Tengnoupal. We got a plant from near Moreh
growing on open rocks.
Specimens Examined: INDIA: Manipur: 4 Kms ahead of
Tengnoupal 25.03.1996 C. Sathish Kumar 28726 (TBGT!).
29. Dendrobium jenkinsii Wallich ex Lindl., Bot. Reg.
25:T. 37.1839; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.
303.1979; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83:17.1985;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 89.
2001.D. aggregatum Roxb. var. jenkinsii (Wallich ex
Lindl.)King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta
8: 6. T. 85. 1898.
30. Dendrobium lindleyii Steud., Nomencl. Bot. 2.
ed. 2: 490.1840; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden.
Cult. 303.1979; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83:16.1985;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 89.
2001. D. aggregatum Roxb., Fl. Ind. 2 Ed. 3:477.1832,
non HBK; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:749.1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 60. PL. 85.
1898.
Devi and Ghatak reported this species from
Tengnoupal.
Specimen Examined: INDIA: Manipur, Thoubal: C. Sathish
Kumar 28735 (TBGT!)
32 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
31. Dendrobium linguella Rchb. f., Gard. Chron.
n.s.18:552.1882; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83:90. 1985;
Ghatak & Devi in Vij (Ed.), Biol. Cons. Cult. Orch.
360. 1986.
Ghatak and Devi reported it from Jiribam at 50 m.
32. Dendrobium lituiflorum Lindl., Gard. Chron.
372.1856; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 740.1890; Mukerjee,
Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3): 151.1953; Deb,
Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2): 127.1979; Pradhan, Ind.
Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.316. 1979; Devi & Ghatak
Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing.:75. 1984.
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83: 81.1985; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 89. 2001.
Fig. 9b
Specimen Examined: INDIA; Manipur, Khongampatt
23.03.1996 C. Sathish Kumar 28736 (TBGT!).
33. Dendrobium longicornu Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch.
80.1830; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 720. 1890; Mukerjee,
Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):151. 1953; Deb,
Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):127.1961; Devi & Ghatak,
Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing.75.1984; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 89. 2001.
Watt collected this species from Manipur in 1881 and
J.D. Hooker described a variety hirsuta under it.
34. Dendrobium moschatum (Buch.-Ham.)Sw.,
Schrader Neues Journ. 1:94. 1805; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 60. T. 84.1898;
Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):
152. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2): 127.1961;
Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 308. 1979;
Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong.
Sing.75.1984; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83:43.1985;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com.89.
2001. Epidendrum moschatum Buch.-Ham. in
Symes:Emb. Kingd. Ava 1 Ed. 478. 1800. Dendrobium
calceolaria Carey ex Hook., Exot. Fl. 3:T. 184.1827;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:744. 1890.
Fig. 9c
Lip of this species is very peculiar in being calceolar
pyriform or hemispheric with broadly incurved
fimbriate margins.
35. Dendrobium nobile Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch.
34.1830; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:740. 1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 51, T.
71.1898; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh
21(3):152. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):
127.1961; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.
315. 1979; Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch.
Cong. Sing. 75. 1984; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83:
83.1985; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. &
Com. 89. 2001.
H. B. Singh showed a pure alba form of this found in
Manipur.
36. Dendrobium ochreatum Lindl., Bot. Reg. 21: sub
T 1756.1835; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:747. 1890;
Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):152.
1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):127.1961; Devi
& Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing. 75.
1984; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83:55.1985; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 89. 2001.
Mukerjee recorded this species from Phungum at
1800 m.
37. Dendrobium parcum Rchb. f., Gard. Chron.
1042.1866; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:720. 1890;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83:158. 1985.
Epipytic herbs. Stems 50 cm or more, usually thin,
purple and furrowed when old, sheaths grey, often
branching. Infloresecnce very short subterminal and
at nodes, with 2-5 creamy yellow flowers; dorsal sepal
4-5 mm, 3-veined; petals linear-spathulate; lip nearly
twice as long, spathulate, slightly retuse at apex
without sidleobes, the base fleshy with two ridges;
hypochile green with dark purple spots, epichile pure
yellow; mentum sac-shaped; column very broad with
a much concave front side, rostellum rather large with
sqaurish front edge; operculum triangular, conical.
Fruits not seen.
Flowering: March-April
Habitat: Evergreen forests at 800 m.
Occurrence: India, Manipur, Thoubal.
Distribution: India, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur, Thoubal: 22 March
1996, C. Sathish Kumar 28708 (TBGT!).
Note: Type of this species was from Tenasserim,
Myanmar. A few samples we could collect are not
good for illustration. It is a new record for India.
38. Dendrobium parishii Rchb. f., Bot. Zeit. 21. no.
31: 237.1863; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:740.1890;
Pradhan Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden.Cult.62.1979; Devi
& Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing. 75.
1984; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83:62.1985; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 89. 2001.
Devi and Ghatak reported it from Ukhrul at 1900 m.
Pradhan also recorded it from Manipur.
39. Dendrobium pendulum Roxb., Fl. Ind. 2 Ed. 3:
484.1832; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:741.1890 (excl. syn.
D. wardianum); Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden.
Cult. 319. 1979; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83: 60.1985;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 89.
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
33
b
a
c
d
Figure 9. a. Dendrobium fimbriatum Hook. ; b. Dendrobium lituiflorum Lindl. ; c. Dendrobium moschatum (Buch.-Ham.) Sw.; d. Dendrobium thyrsiflorum
Rchb. f.
34 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
2001. D. crassinode Benson Rchb. f., Gard. Chron.
164.1869; Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch.
Cong. Sing. 74. 1984.
Devi and Ghatak reported it from Tengnoupal.
40. Dendrobium porphyrochilum Lindl., J. Linn. Soc.
3:18.1858; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:716. 1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 44.Pl.
59.1898; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh
21(3):152. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India
3(2):127.1961; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.
340. 1979; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83:138.1985;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 89.
2001.
Mukerjee recorded this species from Ukhrul.
41. Dendrobium primulinum Lindl., Gard. Chron.
223.1858; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:735.1890; Pradhan,
Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 320. 1979; Devi &
Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing. 75. 1984;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83:69.1985; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 89. 2001.
We collected this species from Thoubal.
42. Dendrobium pulchellum Roxb. ex Lindl., Gen.
Sp. Orch. 82.1830; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:186.1890;
Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):152.
1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):127.1961; Devi
& Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing. 75.
1984; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83: 65.1985; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 89. 2001. D.
dalhousieanum Wallich, Paxt. Bot. Mag. 11: T. 145.1844;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 743. 1890. p. p.
Mukerjee reported this species from Ukhrul.
43. Dendrobium stuposum Lindl., Bot. Reg. 24:52.
misc. 94. 1838; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:186.1890; Ann.
Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 5: 13. T. 20; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8:54. T. 75.1898;
Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 324. 1979;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83: 93.1985; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 90. 2001.
This species has characteristically two flowered
inflorescences; flower is pure white with a yellow
patch on lip.
44. Dendrobium sulcatum Lindl., Bot. Reg. 24:T.
65.1838; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:749. 1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 55. T.
78.1898; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 304.
1979; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 83: 19.1985; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 90. 2001.
This species is closely related to D. chrysotoxum Lindl.
also found in Manipur but can be distinguished on
the basis of its laterally compressed stems and petals
with entire edges.
45. Dendrobium thyrsiflorum Rchb. f. in André, Ill.
Hort. 22:88. T. 207. 1875; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy.
Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 52.1898; Pradhan, Ind. Orch.
Guide to Iden. Cult. 306. 1979; Devi & Ghatak, Proc.
5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing. 75. 1984; Seidenfaden,
Opera Bot. 83: 25.1985; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 90. 2001. D. densiflorum var.
albolutea Hook. f., Bot. Mag. 3: s. 25:5780.1869; Hook.
f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 748. 1890.
Fig. 9d
Mukerjee recorded this species from Ukhrul.
46. Dendrobium transparens Wallich ex Lindl., Gen
Sp. Orch. 79.1830; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:738. 1890;
King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 50
T. 70.1898; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci.
& Com. 90. 2001.
Wallich’s type was from Nepal. Lip of this species is
broadly elliptic-obovate to sagittate and obscurely 3
lobed, clawed at base and pubescent.
47. Dendrobium wardianum Warner, Sel. Orch. 1:T.
19.1862; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:742.1890; Pradhan,
Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 319. 1979; Seidenfaden,
Opera Bot. 83: 56.1985; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 90. 2001.
Pradhan recorded this species from Manipur.
48. Dendrobium wattii (Hook. f.)Rchb. f., Gard.
Chron. 2:724.1888; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:721. 1890;
Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):127. 1961; Seidenfaden,
Opera Bot. 83:113. 1985 & Opera Bot. 124: 29.1995;
Pradhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 90.
2001. D. cariniferum var. wattii Hook. f., Bot. Mag. Pl.
6715. 1883.
The original specimen collected by Watt (G. Watt 5944,
CAL! K) from ‘on ascent to Suripheri at 9000 ft’. in
January 1882 was the basis for J.D. Hooker’s
description of eponymous variety under Dendrobium
cariniferum. This was elevated to the rank of a species
by Reichenbach f., a view immediately accepted by
Hooker. On the type sheet at CAL Pantling remarked
‘very doubtfully D. wattii as figured in the Bot. Mag.
t. 6715. The Bot. Mag. shows a small oblong anterior
lobe of the lip, whereas in this specimen it is large,
bifid with cucullate margin. Watt 5944 does not agree
with any species described in the FBI’ – RP April 1897.
This is a very rare species and poorly represented in
herbaria.
49. Dendrobium williamsonii Day & Rchb. f.,
Gard.Chron.78.1869; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 721.
1890; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 326.
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
1979; Shukla & Baishya, J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc.
76:221.1979; Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch.
Cong. Sing. 75. 1984; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot.
83:121.1985; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci.
& Com. 90. 2001.
Shukla and Baishya recorded this species from
Manipur.
Specimens Examined:INDIA: Manipur: Imphal 30.03.1996 C.
Sathish Kumar 28734 (TBGT!).
Dickasonia L. O. Williams
A monotypic epiphytic genus with clustered 1-leaved
pseudobulbs and lateral racemes of 3-7 white flowers
originally described from Myanmar.
Dickasonia vernicosa L. O. Williams, Bot. Mus. Leafl.
Harv. Univ. 9: 37.1941; Deori, Bull. Bot. Surv. India
26(1-4):230.1984 (1986). Kalimpongia natarajitii
Pradhan in Orchid Dig. 41(5):172.1977; Devi &
Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing. 75. 1984.
Pradhan’s original record was from Manipur without
precise locality. Devi and Ghatak reported it from
Laimaton. Pradhan who had a collection of this from
Manipur wrongly believed it to represent a new genus
which he called Kalimpongia. Deori (1986) found it
congeneric.
column and four pollinia. Christenson (2001) prefers
to keep this under Phalaenopsis. Only one species is
known from India, which is also recorded from
Manipur.
Doritis pulcherrima Lindl., Gen Sp. Orch. 178.1988;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:31. 1890; Seidenfaden, Opera
Bot. 95: 31.1988; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 90. 2001. Phalaenopsis mastersii King &
Pantl., J. As. Soc. Beng. 66:591. 1897.
King and Pantling described their novelty based on
Masters’ collection made at the Nambur Falls in
Assam made February 1845.
Drymoda Lindley
An Indo-SE Asian genus of three epiphytic species
characterized by small discoid pseudobulbs and oneflowered inflorescence on a thin scape from the base;
column-foot long with lateral sepals attached to it at
the end. Only one species occurs in India including
Manipur.
Drymoda gymnopus (Hook. f.) Garay, Hamer &
Siegerist, Nord. J. Bot. 14(6):641. 1994. Bulbophyllum
gymnopus Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:764. 1890.
This species has pale greenish white flowers with an
obtuse yellow lip.
Dienia Blume
An Indo-Malesian genus with one highly variable
species characterized by 3 lobed lip with transverse
callus. This genus was till recently merged under
Malaxis and was resurrected by Szlachetko (1995).
This is the only species under this genus and it is
found in Manipur. It is a terrestrial herb with many
plicate leaves around a thick stem having a terminal
inflorescence bearing congested reddish flowers.
Dienia ophrydis (Koenig) Ormerod & Seidenf., Contr.
Orch. Fl. Thailand 13:18. 1997. Epidendrum ophrydis
Koenig in Retz., Obs. 6:46. 1771. Malaxis latifolia J. E.
Sm. in Rees Cyclop. 22. 1812; Mukerjee, Notes Roy.
Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):153. 1953; Seidenfaden,
Dansk Bot. Ark. 33(1): 45. 1978. Dienia congesta Lindl.,
Bot. Reg. 10 sub t 825. 1824. Microstylis congesta
(Lindl.)Rchb. f., Walp. Ann. 6:206.1861; Hook. f., Fl.
Brit. India 5: 689. 1888. Malaxis congesta (Lindl.)Deb,
Bull. Bot. Surv. Ind. 3:123. 1961.
Mukerjee reported this species from Ukhrul.
Doritis Lindley
An Indo-Malesian genus of two lithophytic species
characterized by a long column foot equalling the
35
Epigeneium Gagnepain
An Indo-Malesian genus of about 35 species of
epiphytic orchids with elongated stems bearing 1 or
2 leaved pseudobulbs and 1 to many medium sized
to large, showy flowers. Six species are found in India.
Two occur in Manipur.
1a.
Dorsal sepal 3.5-6.5 cm long …….... E. amplum
1b.
Dorsal sepal less than 3 cm long......E. fuscescens
1. Epigeneium amplum (Lindl.) Summerh., Kew Bull.
2:260. 1957; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 34(1):71.
1980. Dendrobium amplum Lindl. in Wallich, Pl. As.
Rar. 1:25. T. 29.1829; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:711.
1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta
8: 63. T. 89. 1898. Dendrobium coelogyne Rchb. f.,
Gard.Chron.136.1871; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:712.
1890.
Type specimens were gathered from Nepal and
Bangladesh.
2. Epigeneium fuscescens (Griffth) Summerh., Kew
Bull. 2:262. 1957. Dendrobium fuscescens Griffith, Not.
Pl. Asiat. 3: 308.1851; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:712.
1890.
36 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
Griffith collected the type from Churrapunji in
Meghalaya.
12a. Leaf acute at apex; sepals and petals whitish
with purple lines ……...........………… E. amica
Eria Lindley
12b. Leaf obtuse at apex or emarginate; sepals and
petals white tinged with green ....... E. acervata
An Indo-Malesian genus of about 500 species of
epiphytic or lithophytic orchids with pseudobulbous
stems bearing 1 to many leaves and axillary or
terminal racemes or fascicles of small or medium
sized flowers. India is known to have 55 species and
2 varieties. Fourteen species are known from
Manipur.
1. Eria acervata Lindl., J. Hort. Soc. 6:57. 1851; Hook.
f., Fl. Brit. India 5:796. 1890; King & Pantling, Ann.
Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 123: Pl. 170. 1898; Pradhan,
Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 359. 1979; Seidenfaden,
Opera Bot. 62: 106. 1982; Chauhan in Pathak et al.
(Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 90. 2001.
Fig. 10
Stems consisting of one distinct internode only
................................................................................2
1b.
Stems consisting of several internodes………. 6
2a.
Leaves plicate ……………………… E. javanica
2b.
Leaves conduplicate, sometimes terete ………3
3a.
Small plants with less than 1 cm high
pseudobulbs ………………………E. muscicola
3b.
Large plants with tall pseudobulbous stems......4
4a.
Lip simple, unlobed …………………. E. vittata
4b.
Lip 3 lobed …………………………………….. 5
5a.
Flowers white to pale purple; lip flushed with
purple …….....................…………… E. coronaria
5b.
Flowers pale cream; lip with yellow red
markings ………….........………….. E. excavata
6a.
Plants reed like; stems more than 7 leaved ….. 7
6b.
Plants pseudobulbous; stems less than 7 leaved
................................................................................ 8
7a.
Inflorescence densely flowered......E. paniculata
7b.
inflorescence laxly flowered.......E. bambusifolia
8a.
Leaves terete .........................……… E. pannaea
8b.
Leaves flat, dorsiventral ……………......…….. 9
9a.
Inflorescence glabrous …………………......….10
9b.
Inflorescence woolly, tomentose or pubescent
................................................................................11
10a. Flowers cream coloured; lip with a broad
orbicular midlobe……….......…….E. globulifera
10b. Flowers white with a purplish flash; lip with a
triangular midlobe ……................…….E. spicata
11a. Inflorescence densely or softly tomentose
……………………............………….. E. discolor
11b. Inflorescence pubescent, not tomentose…….12
1 cm
5 mm
b
a
5 mm
1a.
c
5 mm
d
e
Figure 10. Eria acervata Lindl. - Flower showing lip details; a. Flower;
b. Dorsal sepal; c. Petal; d. Lateral sepal; e. Lip (after CSK 28745).
We got our specimens from Tupul which later
flowered under cultivation at TBGRI.
Flowering: April-June
Habitat: Primary forests at Tupul at 760 m.
Occurrence: Manipur: Tupul
Distribution: India, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia,
Vietnam and China.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Tupul C. Sathish
Kumar 28745, 28758 (TBGT!).
2. Eria amica Rchb. f., Xen. Orch. 2:162. T. 168 III, 6-9,
1870; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:800. 1890; Pradhan,
Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 364. 1979; Seidenfaden,
Opera Bot. 62: 115. 1982; Chauhan in Pathak et al.
(Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 90. 2001. E. confusa Hook. f.,
Ic. Pl. T. 1850, 1889 & Fl. Brit. India 5: 796. 1890; King
& Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8:122 Pl.
169. 1898. E. andersonii Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:795.
1890 & Ic. Pl. T. 2069. 1891.
Type of this species was procured by John Day from
Assam.
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
3. Eria bambusifolia Lindl., J. Linn. Soc.3:61.1859;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 805. 1890; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8:119.Pl.163.1898;
Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 366. 1979;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 90.
2001.
Types were collected from Khasia hills of Meghalaya.
3. Eria coronaria (Lindl.)Rchb. f. in Walp. Ann. 6:272.
1861; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta
8: 124. Pl. 172.1898; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard.
Edinburgh 21(3): 152. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India
3(2):127.1961; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.
357. 1979; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 62:40. 1982;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 90.
2001. Coelogyne coronaria Lindl., Bot. Reg. 27:178. misc.
83. 1841. Trichosma suavis Lindl., Bot. Reg. 28:T.
21.1842; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 827.1890 & 6:193.
1890.
Mukerjee reported this species from Khangkhui at
1300 m.
5. Eria discolor Lindl., J. Linn. Soc. 3:51. 1859; Hook.
f., Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 5:21. 1985;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 62:49. 1982. Tylostylis discolor
(Lindl.)Hook. f., Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 5:22.
1895 (in syn.); King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard.
Calcutta 8: 130. Pl. 180. 1898; Pradhan, Ind. Orch.
Guide to Iden. Cult. 341. 1979. Eria pulchella auct. non
Lindl.: Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 801. 1890
We got our specimens from Thoubal.
6. Eria excavata Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 67. 1830; Hook.
f., Ic. Pl. t. 1846. 1889 & Fl. Brit. India 5: 795. 1890;
Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh
21(3):152.1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):127.
1961; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com.
90. 2001.
Mukerjee reported this species from Sirohi at
2600 m.
7. Eria javanica (Sw.)Blume, Rumphia 2:23.1836;
Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 352. 1979;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 62: 26. 1982. Dendrobium
javanicum Sw., Kgl. Sv. Vet. Akad. Nya Handl. 21:247.
1800. Eria fragrans Rchb. f., Bot. Zeit. 22:415. 1864;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 794. 1890; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 122. Pl. 168. 1898;
Shukla & Baishya, J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 76: 227.
1979.
Shukla and Baishya recorded this species from
Moreh.
8. Eria globulifera Seidenf., Opera Bot. 62:125.1982;
37
Naithani, Nageswara Rao & Haridasan, Ind. J. For.
8(4): 333. 1985.
Fig. 11
Epiphytic herbs. Stems usually plurinodal, close
together, 10-15 x 1-2 cm, cylindrical with broad
transparent acute sheaths. Leaves 3-5, oblonglanceolate, 10-22 x 2-3.5 cm, 11-veined, midvein
prominent having distinct sheathing leaf base.
Inflorescence 3.5-4.5 cm long, 2-3 together arising from
the axil of the leaf behind the apex, curved towards
one side, many flowered and densely packed,
globular; floral bracts white and petaloid, 5-8 x 2.54.5 mm, 5-veined, ovate-oblong, margin slightly
erose, acute at apex; ovary + pedicel 4 mm long and
faintly pubescent. Flowers white or off white, 9 mm
long and 8 mm broad with spreading lateral sepals;
dorsal sepal 6 x 3.5-4 mm, ovate, 3-veined, gland
dotted, obtuse; lateral sepals broadly ovate, 5-5.5 x
3.5-4 mm, 3-veined, acute; petals 4-4.5 x 2-2.5 mm,
oblong-lanceolate, 1-veined, obtuse;lip 3-lobed, 2 x 3
mm across the sidelobes, 3-veined; sidelobes folded
upwards, white semicircular, midlobe broad,
orbicular, broad at base, strongly yellow and cushion
like; column 1 mm long with a distinct thickening on
either side; column foot 2 mm long, attaching lateral
sepals and lip; operculum 1.5 mm broad, 8-celled,
pollinia 8 in two packets of four each. Fruits not seen.
Flowering: August
Habitat: Evergreen forests at 800 m.
Occurrence: India, Manipur, Tupul; Arunachal
Pradesh.
Distribution: India, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Tupul 18
March 1996 C. Sathish Kumar 27362 (TBGT!); flowered
under cultivation on 21 August 1996 C. Sathish Kumar
28748 (TBGT!).
Note: Naithani et al. reported this species first time
for India from Arunachal Pradesh. This ia s new
record for Manipur. Our identification was confirmed
by Paul Ormerod who studied Seidenfaden’s type
from Thailand.
9. Eria muscicola (Lindl.)Lindl., J. Linn. Soc.3:47.1859;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 789. 1890; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 117. Pl. 159. 1898;
Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):127. 1961; Seidenfaden,
Opera Bot. 62:32.1982; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 90. 2001. Dendrobium muscicola
Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 75. 1830.
Deb reported this species from Kangpokpi (Maohing
15.8.1953 D. B. Deb 935, CAL!)
38 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
10. Eria paniculata Lindl. in Wallich, Pl. As. Rar. 1:32.
T. 36.1830; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:789. 1890; King
& Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8:26.Pl.174.
1898; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Ident. Cult. 356.
1979; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 62:67.1982; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 90. 2001.
Type originated from Bangladesh.
11. Eria pannaea Lindl., Bot. Reg. 28:64. misc.79.1842;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 804. 1890; King & Pantling,
3 mm
d
e
g
f
2 mm
2 mm
c
4 mm
b
4 mm
3 mm
h
5 cm
1 mm
i
1 mm
j
a
Figure 11. Eria globulifera Seidenf. - a. Habit; b. Flower; c. Flower (with one sepal removed); d. Floral bract; e. Dorsal sepal; f. Lateral sepal; g. Petal;
h. Pollinia; i. Operculum (after CSK 27362).
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
39
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 127. Pl. 176.1898;
Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 356. 1979;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 62: 45.1982; Ghatak & Devi
in Vij (Ed.) Biol. Cons. Cult. Orch. 358. 1986; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 90. 2001.
orchids with tubers or pseudobulbs bearing mostly
plicate or grass like leaves and a lateral raceme of
large variously shaped,coloured flowers. Twenty six
species are known from India. Three have been found
to occur in Manipur.
We saw specimens under cultivation at Thoubal in a
military camp.
1a.
Column with a distinct foot …………………. 2
1b.
Column without a foot …..……………. E. dabia
2a.
Leaves present during flowering....E. spectabilis
2b.
Leaves absent during flowering....... E. bicallosa
Specimens Examined: INDI: Manipur: Thoubal 22.03.1996
C. Sathish Kumar 28707 (TBGT!)
12. Eria spicata (D. Don) Hand. Mazz., Symb. Sin.
7:1353. 1936; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.
365. 1979; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 62: 126.1982;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 90.
2001. Octomeria spicata D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal. 31.
1825. Eria convallaroides Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 70.1830;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 791. 1890; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 118. Pl. 161. 1898.
This is closely allied to E. globulifera Seidenf. but has
a different lip with a thickened midlobe.
13. Eria vittata Lindl., J. Linn. Soc.3:51.1859; Hook. f.,
Fl. Brit. India 5: 794. 1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy.
Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 120.Pl. 165.1898; Pradhan, Ind.
Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 365. 1979; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 90. 2001.
Watt collected this species for the first time from
Manipur.
14. Eria sp.
Fig. 12a
We could not identify this species so far. It was
collected from Thoubal.
Esmeralda Reichenbach f.
An Asian mainland genus of two epiphytic species
with strikingly beautiful flowers distributed from
India, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma through Thailand to
South China. Both the species occur in India. One is
believed to occur in Manipur.
Esmeralda clarkei Rchb. f., Gard. Chron. 2:552. 1886;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 95:136. 1988. Arachnanthe
clarkei (Rchb. f.)Rolfe, Gard. Chron.567.1888; Hook.
f., Fl. Brit. India 6:28. 1890; King & Pantling, Ann.
Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 209. Pl. 279. 1898. Arachis
clarkei (Rchb. f.)J. J. Sm., Nat. Tidjdssschr. Ned. Ind.
72:73.1912; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.
500. 1979.
We could not collect or study any specimen from
Manipur.
Eulophia R. Br. ex Lindley
An Old World genus of about 200 species of terrestrial
1. Eulophia bicallosa (D. Don) Hunt & Summerh.,
Kew Bull. 20:60. 1966; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 72:
38. 1984; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. &
Com. 91. 2001. Bletilla bicallosa D. Don, Prodr. Fl.
Nepal. 30. 1825; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:196. 1890.
Cyrtopera bicarinata Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 189.1833.
Eulophia bicarinata (Lindl.)Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:6.
1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta
8: 180. Pl. 244. 1898; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard.
Edinburgh 21(3): 152. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India
3(2):127. 1961.
Watt first collected this species from Manipur.
Mukerjee reported it from Chammu at 1300 m.
2. Eulophia dabia (D. Don) Hochr. in Bull. New York
Bot. Gard. 6:270. 1910; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 91. 2001. Bletia dabia D. Don, Prodr.
Fl.Nepal. 30. 1825. Eulophia campestris Wallich ex
Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 185.1830; Mukerjee, Notes Roy.
Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3): 52. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot.
Surv. India 3(2):127. 1961.
Mukerjee recorded this species from Ukhrul.
3. Eulophia spectabilis (Dennst.) Suresh, Regn. Veg.
119:300. 1988. Wolffia spectabilis Dennst.,Schlüssel
Hortus Malab.11, 25, 38. 1813. Eulophia nuda Lindl.,
Gen. Sp. Orch. 180.1833; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:5.
1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta
8: 180. Pl. 243.1898; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden.
Cult.457. 1979; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 72:40.1984;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 91.
2001.
Watt collected this species from Manipur.
Flickingeria Hawkes
An epiphytic genus extending from tropical Asia to
Oceania with about 70 species characterized by
creeping and rooting rhizomes with erect branches
bearing single-flowered inflorescence at top of
pseudobulbs close to foliage leaf and very
characteristic lip. Seven species are known from India.
One species occurs in Manipur.
40 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
Flickingera fugax (Rchb. f.) Seidenf., Dansk Bot. Ark.
34(1):46.1980; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 91. 2001. Dendrobium fugax Rchb. f., Gard.
Chron. 1257. 1871; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:752. 1890.
Dendrobium macraei auct. non Lindl.: King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 61. Pl.86. 1898.
Lip is dilated from a cuneate base with obtusely
angled sidelobes and a clawed midlobe abruptly
hastate – flabelliform, dilated, emarginate - retuse
with undulate sides having two membraneous keels
running from base to top of the claw.
Opera Bot. 95:289. 1988; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 91. 2001. Aerides calceolaris
Buch.–Ham. ex J. E. Sm. in Rees Cyclop. 39. 1818, non
Teijsmann & Binnend. Epidendrum calaceolare Buch.Ham. in D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal. 32. 1825 in syn.
Saccolabium calceolare (Buch.-Ham. ex J. E. Sm.) Lindl.,
Gen. Sp. Orch. 223. 1833; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India6:60.
1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta
8: 225. Pl. 300. 1898.
Fig. 12b
Devi and Ghatak reported this species from
Lamakhong at 1000 m.
Gastrochilus D. Don
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Kasom Khullen C.
Sathish Kumar 28712 (TBGT!). .
An Indo-Malesian genus of about 50 epiphytic species
(Tsi, 1996) with short or long stems, linear oblong
leaves and often short subumbellate inflorescence of
very attractive flowers. Fifteen species are reported
from India. Four species occur in Manipur.
4.Gastrochilus distichus (Lindl.)O. Kintze, Rev. Gen.
2:661.1891; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci.
& Com. 91. 2001. Saccolabium distichum Lindl., J. Linn.
Soc. 3:36.1859; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:64. 1890.
1a.
Epichile of lip smooth ………………G. distichus
Geodorum Jacks.
1b.
Epichile of lip papillose …………...………..... 2
2a.
Stems reduced; sepals and petals yellow with
large chocolate blotches …................ G. bellinus
2b.
Stems elongate; sepals and petals greenish
yellow or brown with brown or purplish
dots...….............................................................…. 3
An Indo-Malesian genus of ten species of terrestrial
orchids with epigeal pseudobulbs bearing many
plicate leaves and a lateral, apically curved
inflorescence of pink to white or yellow flowers. India
is known to have 3 species. Two have been reported
from Manipur.
1a.
Flowers rose coloured .................G. densiflorum
3a.
Leaves acute.....................………..G. acutifolius
1b.
Flowers white coloured ………….. G. recurvum
3b.
Leaves unequally 2 lobed ......…….G. calceolaris
1. Geodorum densiflorum (Lam.) Schltr., Fed. Repert.
Beih. 4:259. 1919; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 72: 61
(1983)1984; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci.
& Com. 91. 2001. Limodorum densiflorum Lam., Enc.
3:516. 1792.
1. Gastrochilus acutifolius (Lindl.)O. Kuntze, Rev.
Gen. 2:661. 1891; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 91. 2001.Saccolabium acutifolium Lindl.,
Gen. Sp. Orch. 223. 1833; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:61.
1890 King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta
8: 226. t. 303. 1898.
Ghatak and Devi reported this species from
Khudengthabi as a new record for Manipur.
2. Gastrochilus bellinus (Rchb. f.) O. Kuntze, Rev.
Gen. 2:661.1891; Christenson, Amer. Orch. Soc. Bull.
54(9): 1112.1985; Ghatak & Devi in Vij (Ed.), Biol.
Cons. Cult. Orch. 360. 1986; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot.
95:287. 1988. Saccolabium bellinum Rchb.f., Gard.
Chron. 1:174. 1884; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 61. 1890.
This was reported as a new record for India by Ghatak
and Devi from Khudaengthabi, Manipur at 1340 m.
3. Gastrochilus calceolaris (Buch.- Ham. ex J. E. Sm.)
D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal. 32. 1825; Pradhan, Ind. Orch.
Guide to Iden. Cult. 557. 1979; Devi & Ghatak, Proc.
5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing.75.1984; Christenson,
Amer. Orch. Soc. Bull. 54(9):1113. 1985; Seidenfaden,
2. Geodorum recuvum (Roxb.) Alston in Trimen,
Flora of Ceylon 6:276.1931; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot.
72:61 (1983)1984. Limodorum recurvum Roxb., Corom.
Pl. 33. Pl. 39. 1795. Geodorum dilatatum R. Br. in
Aiton, Hort. Kew. Ed. 2, 5:207. 1813; Mukerjee, Notes
Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):152. 1953.
Mukerjee recorded this species from Kachai at 1440 m.
Goodyera R. Br.
A widespread genus of about 160 species of ground
orchids occurring mostly in the warmer parts except
Africa. Twenty species are known from India with
three in Manipur.
1a.
Inflorescence dense; lip with pellucid glands
…………………..................…………..G. procera
1b.
Inflorescence lax; lip pilose or papillose within
…………………….......................………………. 2
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
41
c
a
b
d
Figure 12. a. Eria sp.; b. Gastrochilus calceolaris (Buch.- Ham. ex J. E. Sm.) D. Don; c. Hygrochilus parishii (Veitch & Rchb. f.) Pfitz.; d. Paphiopedilum
hirsutissimum (Lindl. ex Hook.) Stein
42 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
2a.
Leaves lanceolate with white blotching
………………….....………G. schlechtendaliana
2b.
Leaves subradical, spreading or clustered
about middle of stem ……........…….…………3
2b.
Leaves ovate-laceolate without white blotching
…….…………...................……………..G. foliosa
3a.
Lip simple with a raising tongue in between two
stigmas ………..................…………H. mandersii
1. Goodyera foliosa (Lindl.)Benth. ex C. B. Clarke, J.
Linn. Soc. 25:73. 1889; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:113.
1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta
8: 281. T. 374.1898; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard.
Edinburgh 21(3):152. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India
3(2):127. 1961; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Ident.
Cult. 1:108. 1976; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark.
32(2):29. 1978; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 91. 2001. Georchis foliosa Lindl., Gen. Sp.
Orch. 496. 1840.
3b.
Lip tripartite without tongue………………..…4
4a.
Large flowered plants; lateral sepals more than
10 mm long ..........................................................5
4b.
Small flowered plants; lateral sepals less than
10 mm long …………...........……….H. acuifera
5a.
Spur reduced; lip unlobed …….H. pelorioides
5b.
Spur well developed; lip 3 lobed……………...6
6a.
Petals pubescent or glandular pubescent
…………………….........……………..H. arietina
6b.
Petals not pubescent ………………... H. dentata
Mukerjee found this species at Lamlong at 1800m.
2. Goodyera procera (Ker-Gawl.) Hook., Exot. Fl. 1.
3:T. 39. 1823; Clarke, J. Linn. Soc. 25::73; Hook. f., Fl.
Brit. India 6:111. 1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy.
Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 282. T. 378. 1898; Deb, Bull. Bot.
Surv. India 3(2):127. 1961; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide
to Ident. Cult. 1:109.1976; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot.
Ark. 32(2):22. 1978; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 91. 2001. Neottia procera Ker-Gawl.,
Bot. Reg. 8:T. 639. 1822.
Clarke collected this species from west Manipur.
3. Goodyera schlechtendaliana Rchb. f., Linnaea
22:861. 1849; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 32(2):26.
1978; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com.
91. 2001. Goodyera secundiflora auct. non Griffith: Hook.
f., Fl. Brit. India 6:113. 1890; King & Pantling, Ann.
Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 288. T. 376. 1898; Pradhan,
Ind. Orch. Guide to Ident. Cult. 1: 110. 1976.
Watt collected this species from Manipur in 1882
(Watt 5889, K).
Habenaria Willd.
A large pantropical genus of about 600-800 species
of terrestrial orchids characterized by underground
tuberoids, a leafy shoot and a terminal inflorescence
of variously coloured, spurred or rarely non-spurred
flowers. Seventy two species and one variety are
known from India. Seven species are reported from
Manipur.
1a.
Sidelobes of lip deeply laciniate.......................
........................................................ H. trichosantha
1b.
Sidelobes when present not laciniate, sometime
toothed …………………......................…………2
2a.
Leaves radical and adpressed to ground
……………..................………….....H. reniformis
1. Habenaria acuifera Wallich ex Lindl., Gen. Sp.
Orch. 325. 1835; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:146 (excl.
syn. H. linguella).1890; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot.
Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):152. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv.
India 3(2):127. 1961; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark.
31(3):106.1977; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 91. 2001.
Mukerjee first reported this species from Manipur.
2. Habenaria arietina Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India
6:138.1890; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard.
Edinburgh 21(3):152. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India
3(2):127.1961; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 91. 2001.
Mukerjee first collected this species from Ukhrul.
3. Habenaria dentata (Sw.) Schltr., Fed. Repert. Beih.
4:125. 1919; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard.
Edinburgh 21(3):152. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India
3(2):127. 1961; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 31(3):
98.1977; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. &
Com. 91. 2001. Orchis dentata Sw., Vet. Akad. Nya
Handl. 21:207. 1800. Habenaria geniculata D. Don, Prodr.
Fl. Nepal. 25. 1825; Clarke, J. Linn. Soc. 25: 74.1889;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:138. 1890; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8:309. Pl. 405. 1898.
This is said to be a common species in Manipur at
1500-1800 m.
4. Habenaria pelorioides Parish & Rchb. f., Trans.
Linn. Soc. 30:135 & 139. T. 27, Fig. 1, 1-3.1874; Hook.
f., Fl. Brit. India 6:166. 1890. H. malintana auct. non
(Blanco)Merrill: Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard.
Edinburgh 21(3):153. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India
3(2):127.1953; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 91. 2001.
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
Mukerjee reported this species from Ukhrul and
Sirohi in Manipur. We feel Parish & Rchb. f.’s species
is different from H. dentata (Blanco) Merrill to which
it was sunken.
5. Habenaria mandersii Collett & Hemsley, J. Linn.
Soc.28:133. 1890; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:146. 1890;
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 31(3): 126.1977;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 91.
2001.
6. Habenaria reniformis (D. Don)Hook. f., Fl. Brit.
India 6:152.1890; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard.
Edinburgh 21(3):153. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India
3(2):128. 1961; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark.
31(3):132.1977; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 91. 2001. Listera reniformis D. Don, Prodr.
Fl. Nepal. 28. 1825.
Mukerjee reported this species from Sungshung at
1500 m.
7. Habenaria trichosantha Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch.
324.1835; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India6:138. 1890; Deb, Bull.
Bot. Surv. India 3(2):128. 1961; Seidenfaden, Dansk
Bot. Ark. 31(3):86.1977; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 91. 2001.
Deb reported this species from Manipur.
Note: We visited Manipur during March-April much
ahead of flowering of Habnaria spp. And hence we
could not collect any species.
Herminium R. Br.
A terrestrial genus of about 40-50 species found in
the high latitudes of Asia. About fifteen species are
known from India. Only one species has been
recorded from Manipur.
Herminium lanceum (Thunb. ex Sw.)Vujik, Blumea
11(1):228. 1961; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 31(3):20.
1977; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com.
91. 2001. Ophrys lancea Thunb. ex Sw., Kgl. Akad. Vet.
Nya Handl. 21:223. 1800. Aceras angustifolia Lindl.,
Bot. Reg. sub T 1525. 1832. Herminium angustifolium
(Lindl.)Benth. Hook. f., Gen. Pl. 3:622.1880; Hook. f.,
Fl. Brit. India6:129. 1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy.
Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 332. Pl. 434.1898; Mukerjee,
Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):153. 1953; Deb,
Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):128.1961.
Mukerjee reported this species from Sirohee at
2000 m.
Holcoglossum Schltr.
An Indo-Southeast Asian genus of eight epiphytic
species characterized by short footless column with
43
prominent wings. Only one species occurs in India
which is also found in Manipur.
Holcoglossum amesianum (Rchb. f.) Christ., Not. Roy.
Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 44(2):255. 1987; Seidenfaden,
Opera Bot 95:308. 1988. Vanda amesiana Rchb. f., Gard.
Chron. 1:764.1887; Hook. f., Bot. Mag. 116:T.
7139.1890; Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch.
Cong. Sing. 76. 1984; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 95. 2001.
This species was reported by Devi and Ghatak from
Churachandpur at 831 m.
Hygrochilus Pfitzer
A monotypic genus found in mainland Asia from
India, Burma, Thailand to Indo-China and China
characterized by the elongate and arcuate column,
movable hinged lip and two pollen masses each
completely divided in more or less unequal
semiglobular free halves. It is represented by
Hygrochilus parishii, long known under the name
Vanda parishii and has been recorded from Manipur
and Mizoram.
Hygrochilus parishii (Veitch & Rchb. f.)Pfitz., Nat.
Pflanzenfam. II.6.Nachtr. I: 112.1897; Garay, Bot. Mus.
Leafl. Harv. Univ. 23(10): 374.1974; Pradhan, Ind.
Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 498. 1979 & Ind. Orch. J.
2(1):8. 1987; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 95:138. 1988.
Vanda parishii Veitch & Rchb. f., Gard.Chron.180.1867;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:51.1890; Mukerjee, Notes
Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):154. 1953; Deb, Bull.
Bot. Surv. India 3(2):129.1961; Chauhan in Pathak et
al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 91. 2001.
Fig. 12c
Mukerjee recorded this species from Kachai at 1080 m.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Khongampatt C.
Sathish Kumar s. n. (TBGT!); Kachai Mukerjee 2946 (CAL!).
Kingidium P. F. Hunt
A small Indo-Malesian genus of about 10 species of
epiphytic orchids with short stem, flat and broad
leaves but attractive pink to white or yellowish
flowers. Christenson (2001) prefers to keep this genus
under Phalaenopsis. Seidenfaden (1988) and Garay
accept this as a natural genus. Five species are known
from India. One species occurs in Manipur.
Kingidium taeniale (Lindl.)Hunt, Kew Bull. 24:98.
1970; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.2:550.
1979; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 95:185. 1988: Aerides
taeniale Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 239. 1833. Doritis
taenialis (Lindl.)Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:31. 1890; King
& Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 199. Pl.
266. 1898.
44 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
Liparis L. C. Rich.
A pantropical genus of about 250 species of both
terrestrial and epiphytic orchids having pseudobulbs
or rhizomes with plicate or fleshy leaves and a
terminal raceme of cream to pink flowers. Forty five
species are known from India. Eight species have been
recorded from Manipur.
3. Liparis cespitosa (Lam.) Lindl., Bot. Reg. 11:sub t.
882. 1825; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 31(1):61. 1976.
Epidendrum cespitosum Lam., Encycl. 1:187. 1783.
Liparis prainii Hook. f., Icon. Pl. ser. 3(19): t. 1857A.
1889. L. duthiei Hook. f., Icon. Pl. ser. 3(19): t.1857B.
1889.
Fig. 13
Our sketches were commented on by Ormerod as
matching with this species. Though nearer to L. fargesii
Finet on account of its pseudobulb characters lip and
other floral characters are exact match for L. cespitosa
as proved by Ormerod.
1a.
Plants terrestrial; leaves non jointed, ovate to
lanceolate-ovate ………...........……...L. paradoxa
1b.
Plants epiphytic; leaves jointed ………..…….. 2
2a.
Pseudobulbs 1-leaved ……………..…………. 3
2b.
Pseudobulbs 2 or more leaved …………………4
3a.
Sepals 1 veined……………………. L. cespitosa
3b.
Sepals 3 or more veined ………...L. bootanensis
4a.
Lip truncate to emarginate ………...L. bistriata
4b.
Lip orbicular…………………………………......5
4. Liparis distans C. B. Clarke, Journ. Linn. Soc. 25:71.
T. 29.1889; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:704.1890;
Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):153.
1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):128. 1961;
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 31(1):76.1976; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 92. 2001.
5a.
Dorsal sepal 9-12 mm long …………………… 6
Clarke’s type specimen was from Kohima, Nagaland.
5b.
Dorsal sepal less than 8 mm …………………...7
6a.
Flowers yellowish brown; lip margin
erose……………......…………………. L. distans
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Ukhrul S K Mukerjee
3540 (CAL!).
6b.
Flowers green; lip margin dentate.....................
…………………………………… L. plantaginea
7a.
Column wing with a long downward turned
subulate tooth ……...........………. L. resupinata
7b.
Column wing without any tooth..L. viridiflora
1. Liparis bistriata Parish & Rchb. f., Trans.
Linn.Soc.30:155.1874; Hook. f.5:702. 1888 & Ic. Pl. T.
1858. 1889; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard.
Calcutta 8:30. T. 39.1898; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot.
Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):153. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv.
India 3(2):128. 1961; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark.
31(1):73.1976; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 92. 2001.
Parish’s type specimen was collected from Moulmein,
Myanmar.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Ukhrul Dr S K
Mukerjee 2881(CAL!); Maohing Deb 995(CAL!).
2. Liparis bootanensis Griffith, Itin. Not. 98. 1848
(descri. & Not. 3:278. 1851(name); Hook. f., Fl. Brit.
India 5:700. 1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot.
Gard. Calcutta 8: 30. Pl. 40. 1898; Seidenfaden, Dansk
Bot. Ark. 31(1): 50.1976; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 92. 2001.
Griffith’s type originated in Bhutan.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Tupul 03.06.1996 C.
Sathish Kumar 28744 (TBGT!)
5. Liparis paradoxa (Lindl.)Rchb. f., Walp. Ann.
6:218.1861; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:697. 1890; King
& Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 27. Pl.
34.1898; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh
21(3):153. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):128.
1961; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 31(1):38.1976;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 92.
2001. Empusa paradoxa Lindl., Bot. Reg. 10, sub T. 825.
1824.. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:182. 1890. Liparis paradoxa
var. parishii Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 698. 1890. Liparis
parishii (Hook. f.) Hook
Mukerjee reported this species from Ukhrul and
Limboi at 2000 m and 1500 m. respectively.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Ukhrul S K Mukerjee
3258 (CAL!); Lomboi S K Mukerjee 3386 (CAL!).
6. Liparis plantaginea Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 29.1830;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 702. 1890; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 29. Pl. 36. 1898;
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 31(1): 75.1976; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 92. 2001.
This species was based on Wallich drawing available
at Kew. We haven’t seen any specimens and it is
included on the authority of Chauhan.
7. Liparis resupinata Ridley, Journ. Linn. Soc.
22:290.1886; Hook. f., Ic. Pl. T.1888.1889 & Fl. Brit.
India 5: 705 & 6: 183. 1890; King & Pantling, Ann.
Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 36. Pl. 48. 1898;
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 31(1): 88.1976; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 92. 2001.
Ridley’s type was from Meghalaya.
8. Liparis viridiflora (Blume) Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch.
31.1830, p. p.; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:704, p. p. 1890;
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 31(1):82.1976; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 92. 2001.
Malaxis veiridiflora Blume, Bijdr. 392. 1825. Liparis
longipes Lindl. in Wallich, Pl. As. Rar. 1:31. T. 35.1830;
2 mm
2 mm
b
c
d
2 mm
2 mm
f
e
2 cm
45
2 mm
a
g
Figure 13. Liparis cespitosa (Lam.) Lindl. - a. Habit; b. Flower; c. Floral bract; d. Dorsal sepal; e. Petal; f. Lateral sepal; g. Lip (after CSK 28744).
46 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
Clarke, J. Linn. Soc. 25:71. 1889; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India
5: 703. 1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard.
Calcutta 8: 29. Pl. 37. 1898. L. spathulata Lindl., Bot.
Reg. 28: misc. 189.1842; Clarke, J. Linn. Soc. 25:71.
1889.
Blume’s type was collected from Krakatau, Java.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: George Watt s. n.
(CAL!); Barak C. B. Clarke 42262 (CAL!); Irong A. Meebold
6482(CAL!).
At CAL there is another Liparis sp. from Manipur
collected by S.K. Mukerjee without flower. It is a large
plant almost filling the herbarium sheet.
Luisia Gaudichaud-Beaupré
An Indo-Malesian genus of about 40 species of
epiphytic orchids characterized by short stems, terete
leaves and a short fascicle of very attractive flowers.
Sixteen species are known from India. Two species
occur in Manipur.
1a.
Epichile of lip glossy .............................. L. jonesii
1b.
Epichile of lip rugose ……..…….. L. antennifera
1. Luisia antennifera Blume, Rumphia 4:50. 1849,
nom. nud.; Mus. Bot. Lugd. 1:61. 1849; Hook. f., Fl.
Brit. India 6: 25.1890; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark.
27(2): 70.1971; Ghatak & Devi in Vij (Ed.), Biol. Cons.
Cult. Orch.360. 1986; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 95:277.
1988.
Ghatak and Devi reported it as a new record for India
from Khudengthabi at 1340 m. We have not seen any
specimen.
2. Luisia jonesii J. J. Smith, Blumea 5:311. 1943;
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 27(2): 27.1971; Ghatak
& Devi in Vij (Ed.) Biol. Cons. Cult. Orch. 360. 1986.
Ghatak and Devi reported this from Moreh at 200
m. as a new record for India.
Luisiopsis Sathish et Suresh
Capt. Francis Jenkins (1793-1855) was a British Agent
to the Governor General of the erstwhile British India
at Gauhati in Assam. He was avid collector of plants
including tea from Manipur and used to send the
consignments to Wallich. One of his collections from
Lower Assam flowered at Indian Botanical Garden
which Wallich passed on to his artist Lutchman Singh
to prepare a water colour painting. Lutchman Singh
made a beautiful painting on which Wallich wrote
‘Cymbidium inconpicuum’ which was never published.
While working on the Orchidaceae for Flora of British
India, J. D. Hooker described it under Saccolabium with
a question mark. Kuntze (1891) immediately
transferred this to Gastrochilus. Later, while supplying
a full description of the plant and reproducing part
of Lutchman Singh’s drawing as well, J. D. Hooker
(1895) confirmed his stand in Saccolabium and
commented it as ‘a remarkable species, quite unlike
any other’ and added ‘in the shape of the lip and
especially the hemispheric hypochile it precisely
accords with that of the section Calceolaria
(=Gastrochilus), but it resembles no species of that
group in foliage and inflorescence, and further in the
perfectly smooth epichile’. King and Pantling (1898)
placed it under Luisia mainly because of the gross
vegetative morphology. While revising the genus
Luisia, Seidenfaden (1971) felt it better placed in
Gastrochilus and even proposed a superfluous new
combination overlooking Kuntze’s prior name. Tsi
(1996) who summarized the genus Gastrochilus
preferred to treat it under Luisia. Pearce and Cribb
(2002) and Misra (2004) follow Kuntze in treating it
under Gastrochilus.
We made a critical study on the concept of J. D.
Hooker’s Saccolabium inconpicuum which was shifted
between Gastrochilus and Luisia with no permanent
abode, in comparison with a fresh collection from
Sagol Mangu at Saikul in Manipur. The characters of
Saccolabium inconspicuum such as its Luisia-like habit,
two solid pollinia, lip with saccate hypochile and
unornamented epichile with keeled sepals and petals
keep it different from both Luisia and Gastrochilus
where it was placed lately. We are convinced that it
is best placed in a genus of its own. We therefore
propose a new generic status for Saccolabium
inconspicuum Hook. f. As it very much resembles
Luisia superficially we name it Luisiopsis Sathish et
Suresh evidently denoting its relationship.
Luisiopsis Sathish et Suresh, gen. nov.
Type: Saccolabium inconspicuum Hook. f.
Etymology: Luisia= a generic name, opsis = like, in
reference to the superficial similarity in vegetative
morphology.
Affinis Luisia et Gastrochilus e tribus Vandeae, sed
differt a characteris combinatio similis Luisia in
habitato, folia tereta, flos caespitosus, supra-axilaris,
6-8, succulentus, sepala carinatus, labius saccatus
hypochile et epichile succulentae et non ornamentae,
pollinia duo, solida.
Luisiopsis Sathish & Suresh is obviously related to
Luisia in gross vegetative morphology and keeled
nature of sepals. The similarity ends there. The two
entire pollinia and a lip divisible into a saccate
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
hypochile and an unornamented epichile are unique
features which when combined with its terete leaves
sufficiently demarcate this genus from the allied ones
of the tribe Vandeae. The two solid pollinia of
Luisiopsis are also seen in genera belonging to the
47
Series I of Dressler (1993) - Ascochilopsis, Ceratocentron,
Chamaeanthus, Chroniochilus, Grosourdya, Hemnorchis,
Malleola, Megalotis, Microtatorchis, Omoea,
Parapteroceras, Pennilabium, Porrorachis, Saccolabium
and Tuberolabium.
5 cm
a
5 mm
b
3 mm
c
3 mm
1 mm
d
e
Figure 14. Luisiopsis inconspicuua (Hook. f.) Sathis & Suresh. - a. Habit; b. A portion of inflorescence; c. Flower; d. Front view of column & lip;
e. Pollinarium
48 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
Luisiopsis inconspicuua (Hook. f.) Sathish et Suresh,
comb. nov.
Saccolabium? inconspicuum Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:56.
1890; Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 5(1):46. 1895.
Gastrochilus inconspicuus (Hook. f.)Kuntze, Rev. Gen.
Pl. 2:661. 1891; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 27(4):
94.1971 (Gastrochilus inconspicuum (Hook. f.)
Seidenfaden, nomen superfl.); Hynniewta et al., Orch.
Nag. 189. 2000; Pearce & Cribb, Orch. Bhutan 521.
2002; Misra, Orch. Orissa 684. 2004. Luisia
inconspicuua (Hook. f.) Hook. f. ex King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8:203.t. 272.1898; Tsi,
Guihaia 16(2): 151. 1996.
Fig. 14
Epiphytic plants to 35 cm high. Stems to 15 cm long,
terete, sometimes branching. Leaves terete, dark green,
sessile, 2.5-10 x 0.1-0.2 cm. Inflorescence supra axillary
tufts with short and sheathed peducle bearing 6-8
flowers. Flowers 4 mm across with greenish white
sepals and petals; dorsal sepal 1.5-3 x 1- 2 mm, ovate
to ovate lanceolate, acute, 1-3-veined; lateral sepals
2.75-5 x 1-2 mm, obliquely ovate, keeled at back and
udulate on margin, obtuse, 1-3 veined; petals oblong
to ovate-elliptic, 2-3 x 1-1.2 mm, acute, spreading and
1-veined; lip 2-3.5 x 1.5- 2 mm, firmly attached with
the column base with a fleshy and cup-shaped
hemispherical hypochile, green with a flash of purple
on margins without sidelobes; epichile as broad as
hypchile, broadly ovate, flat, without any ridges, wart
or hairs, 2.2. x 1.5 mm, margin minutely hispid, obtuse
or slightly 2-lobed at apex; column erect, 0.5-1.5 x 0.50.7 mm, very stout, without a foot; anther cap shortly
beaked; pollinia 2, entire, subglobose on a 0.75 mm
long and thin stipes; viscidium subquadrate or ovate;
stigma oblong. Fruits ellipsoid capsules, 5-6 x 2 mm,
shortly stalked.
Flowering & Fruiting: June-October
Habitat: Plains on trees.
Occurrence: Manipur, Sagol Mangu, Saikul.
Distribution: India, Nepal and Bhutan.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Sagol Mangu, Saikul
C. Sathish Kumar 28740 (TBGT!).
Assam: s. coll. s. n. (CAL!); Burkill 37693 (CAL!).
Nagaland: Koio Hynniewta 80717 (ASSAM);
Wakching Hynniewta 79943 (ASSAM). Meghalaya:
Prain 142 (CAL!). Arunachal Pradesh: Burkill 38216
(CAL!). Orissa: S. Misra 165, 335 (CAL!).
Sikkim:Pantling 159(CAL!); Smith & Cave 820 (CAL!).
West Himalaya: Inayat 24114 (CAL!)
Note: While studying a specimen at CAL (Pantling
159) Tsi commented ‘This species in respect of
pollinia, especially the shape of stipe and pollen mass
as well as stipe longer than pollen mass, appear to
resemble those of genus Gastrochilus, but its more
characters, such as terete leaves, raceme strikingly
shortening and thick lateral sepals at backside with a
keel arising towards apex, not bifid gland adhered
at backside of rostellum by its upper surface and
shape of lip are uniform with those of genus Luisia,
so my opinion, it should be kept in genus Luisia rather
than transferring it to genus Gastrochilus’. This was
followed in his revision of the genus Gastrochilus (Tsi,
1996).
The new genus Luisiopsis with its combined characters
such as terete leaves, supra-axillary tufts of greenish
white flowers, footless column, saccate hypochile,
smooth epichile with hispid margin and
inconspicuously two lobed apex and two solid and
entire pollinia can be placed in subtribe Vandinae of
tribe Vandeae Lindl., subfamily Vandoideae Endl.
(Szlachetko, 2003) along with Luisia, Ascolabium,
Papilionanthe etc.
Myrmechis Blume
An Indo-East Asio-Malesian genus of 15 species
(Ormerod, 1998b) of terrestrial orchids characterized
by slightly nodose stems, a few scattered leaves and
a terminal pubescent raceme of 1-2 flowers and a lip
having a long claw. Only one species, M. pumila
(Hook. f.)Tang & Wang, is known from India,
recorded from Manipur and Sikkim.
Myrmechis pumila (Hook. f.) Tang & Wang, Act.
Phytotax. Peking 1(1): 69. 1951; Seidenfaden, Dansk
Bot. Ark. 32(2): 76.1978; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 92. 2001.Odontochilus pumilus Hook.
f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 99. 1890; Ic. Pl. T. 2163.1894;
Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):153.
1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2): 128. 1961.
Cheirostylis franchetiana King & Pantl., J. As. Soc. Bengal
64(3):341. 1895. Zeuxine pumila (Hook. f.)King & Pantl.)
King & Pantl., Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8:292. Pl.
398.1898; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.
1:117. 1976. Anoectochilus pumilus “King & Pantl” auct.:
W. W. Smith & Cave, Rec. Bot. Surv. India 4: 243. 1911.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Sirohee Capt.
Kingdon-Ward 3267 (CAL!).
Neogyna Reichenbach f.
A monotypic epiphytic genus found in Asian
mainland from India to Indo-China through Nepal,
Bhutan, Burma, Thailand and China characterized
by sidelobes folded around the column and the
sepals saccate base. This species has been recorded
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
from many northeastern states of India including
Manipur.
Neogyna gardneriana (Lindl.) Rchb. f., Bot. Zeit
10:931. 1852; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.
282. 1979; Seidenfaden in Opera Bot. 89:76. 1986;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 92.
2001. Coelogyne gardneriana Lindl. in Wallich, Pl. As.
Rar. 1:33. T. 38.1830; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:828 &
6:193. 1890.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Kupra George Watt
5871 (CAL!).
Neottianthe
(Reichenbach. f.) Schlechter
This is a temperate Eurasian genus of 11 species of
terrestrial orchids with 2 species extending into the
Himalayas. Only one species is believed to occur in
Manipur.
Neottianthe secundiflora (Hook. f.) Schltr., Fed.
Repert. 16:291. 1919; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 92. 2001.
49. Nephelaphyllum Blume
An Indo-Malesian genus of 18 species (Seidenfaden
& Wood, 1992) of terrestrial orchids characterized by
creeping rhizome, slender pseudobulbs bearing
beautifully patterned leaves and dense or lax raceme
of creamy yellow flowers. Three species with a variety
are known to occur in India. One species is found in
Manipur.
Nephelaphyllum pulchrum Blume, Bijdr.373. t. 36.
Fig. 22.1825; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:818. 1890; King
& Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8:105. T.
145 (var. sikkimense). 1898; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide
to Iden. Cult. 244. 1979; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 89:22.
1986.
Meebold collected this species from Nasun Naga Hills
at 4000’ quite close to Manipur on Dec. 1907 (A
Meebold 7636, CAL!) in fruits. It is likely to occur in
Manipur.
Nervilia
Commerson ex Gaudichaud-Beaupre
An Old World genus of about 100 species of terrestrial
orchids characterized by underground tubers,
appearance of leaves and flowers at different seasons,
cordate reniform leaves and long erect inflorescence
of 1, 2 or many differently coloured flowers. Sixteen
species are known from India. Four species occur in
Manipur:
49
1a.
Inflorescence bearing a single flower ….……. 2
1b.
Inflorescence bearing more than a single flower
……………………….......................…………… 3
2a.
Midlobe of lip with entire edges …… N. falcata
2b.
Midlobe of lip fimbriately incised and plaited
crispy …………...............….…….. N. crociformis
3a.
Leaves green throughout with coarse hairs on
both sides; flowers always 2 …..…..…. N. plicata
3b.
Leaves green above, pink below, glabrous on
both sides; flowers 3-20 .....…...….. N. aragoana
1. Nervilia aragoana Gaudich. in Freycinet, Voy. Bot.
422. T. 35. 1829; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Ident.
Cult. 1:146. 1976; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 32(2):
164. 1978. Pogonia scottii Rchb. f., Flora 55, 18:276.1872;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 120.1890 & Ann. Roy. Bot.
Gard. Calcutta 5: 62. T. 93. 1895; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 269. T. 360. 1898.
Nervilia scottii (Rchb. f.)Schltr., Engl. Bot. Jahrb. 45:404.
1911; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com.
92. 2001.
This is a widespread species throughout IndoMalesia.
2. Nervilia crociformis (Zoll. & Mor.) Seidenf., Dansk
Bot. Ark. 32(2):151. Fig. 92.1978; Petterson, Nord. J.
Bot. 9: 494. 1998. Bulborchis crociformis Zoll. & Mor. in
Morintzi, Syst. Vez. Pl. Zoll. 89. Pogonia prainiana King
& Pantl., Journ. As. Soc. Bengal 65:129. 1896; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 267. T. 355.
1898. Nervilia prainiana (King & Pantl.)Seidenf., Dansk
Bot. Ark. 32(2):149. 1978. Nervilia crispata auct. non
(Blume) Schltr.:Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):128.
1961.
Deb once found this species ‘very common all over
the hills of territory at 900-2500 m’.
3. Nervilia falcata (King & Pantl.) Schltr. in Engl.
Jahrb. 45:402. 1911; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 92. 2001. Pogonia falcata King &
Pantling, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal 64(2):129. 1896.
King & Pantling described their novelty based on
latter’s collection from Western Dooar of Bhutan, east
of the Jaldacca River. Leaf was unknown to the
authors. This species is included here on the authority
of Chauhan.
4. Nervilia plicata (Andr.)Schltr., Engl. Bot. Jahrb.
45:403. 1911; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Ident. Cult.
1:147. 1976; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark.
32(2):156.1978; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 92. 2001. Arethusa plicata Andr., Bot. Rep.
50 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
5: T. 321. 1803. Pogonia plicata (Andr.)Lindl., Gen. Sp.
Orch. 415.1840; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:119. 1890;
King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 268.
T. 358.
This is again a widespread species distributed
throughout Indo-Malesia.
Oberonia Lindley
A palaeotropical genus of about 300 epiphytic species
with uniform habit and a pendulous spike or raceme
of small and unattractive flowers. Fifty two species
are known from India. Ten species occur in Manipur:
(Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 92. 2001. O. myriantha Lindl.,
Fol. Orch. Oberonia No. 23.1859; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India
5: 679. 1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard.
Calcutta 8: 10. T. 12. 1898; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot.
Ark. 25(3): 56. Fig. 34. 1968.
Meebold collected this species from Kappu at 7000’
in Nov. 1907 (A. Meebold 6651, CAL!). Seidenfaden
(1968:56) cites the same number available at E and K.
2. Oberonia bicornis Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 16. 1830;
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 25(3): 85.1968; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 92. 2001.
Malaxis bicornis (Lindl.)Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:682.
1888.
1a.
Leaves jointed ………………………………….2
1b.
Leaves not jointed…………………………........8
2a.
Leaves laterally compressed ……………….... 3
2b.
Leaves terete or subterete ………. O. myosurus
3. Oberonia clarkei Hook. f., Ic. Pl. T. 1779. 1888 &
Fl. Brit. India 5: 76. 1890; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot.
Ark. 25(3): 107.1968; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 107. 2001.
3a.
Flowers sessile, sunken in pits on a fleshy rachis
……………………………...................………….4
Clarke’s type was collected from Shillong in
Meghalaya. Chauhan included it from Manipur.
3b.
Flowers pedicellate, not sunken in pits. Rachis
not fleshy …………...............………………….. 5
4a.
Leaves very long (15-40 cm); lip truncate at
apex………………...........………….. O. maxima
4b.
Leaves less than 15 cm long; lip triangular at
apex ……….............……………. O. pachyrachis
5a.
Midlobe with lateral calli in the middle................
…………..........................................O. ensiformis
4. Oberonia ensiformis (J. E.Sm.) Lindl., Fol. Orch.
Oberonia No. 21.1859; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 679.
1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta
8: 8. Pl. 9. 1898; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 25(3):
53. Fig.32. 1968 & Dansk Bot. Ark. 33(1):13.1978;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 93.
2001. Malaxis ensiformis J. E. Sm. in Rees Cyclop.
22(1):14. 1812.
5b.
Midlobe without calli …………………..............6
6a.
Sidelobes of lip fringed …………O. mucronata
6b.
Sidelobes of lip not fringed ……………...…… 7
7a.
Lip very much broadening from the middle
with midlobe split in to two nearly circular
lobules …………….………………… O. acaulis
7b.
Lip not very broadening from the middle
………………........…………………O. pyrulifera
8a.
Sidelobes of lip raised above like vertical horns
……............................................……. O. bicornis
8b.
Sidelobes of lip not raised above like vertical
horns ………………….............…………………9
9a.
Sidelobes of lip laciniate ……………...O. clarkei
9b.
Sidelobes of lip rounded to slightly erose
………………….......…………O. longibracteata
1. Oberonia acaulis Griffith, Itin. Not. 76. Pl. I. 1848
& Not. 3:275 & Ic. T. 286. Fig.1. 1851; Seidenfaden,
Dansk Bot. Ark. 32(2):20; Chauhan in Pathak et al.
5. Oberonia longibracteata Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 15.
1830; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India5:678. 1890; Seidenfaden,
Dansk Bot. Ark. 25(3):83. Fig.52. 1968 & Dansk Bot.
Ark. 33(1):39.1978; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 93. 2001.
6. Oberonia maxima Parish ex Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India
5:677. 1888; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):128. 1961;
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 25(3):21. 1968 & Dansk
Bot. Ark. 33(1): 13. 1978; Deori & Hajra, Bull. Bot. Surv.
India 17(1-4):170.1978; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 93. 2001.
Fig. 15
Epiphytic herbs. Leaves jointed, 22.5 x 2.5 cm, sword
shaped, laterally compressed, acute at apex.
Inflorescence arising from the middle, scape winged,
stout, 17.5 cm long. Flowers numerous, sessile,
greenish, closely adpressed to the rachis, 3 mm long;
opening of flowers basipetal, sepals and petals
imbricate , reflexed;floral bract oblong, 3 x 2 mm,
longer than the ovary + pedicel, margin erose, apex
reflexed, gland dotted; dorsal sepal 1.25 x 1 mm,
ovate, gland dotted, entire on margin and rounded
at apex; lateral sepals1.25 x 1 mm, ovate, glanddotted, acute at apex; petal 1.25 x 0.75 mm, narrowly
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
ovate, obtuse and wavy at apex; lip orbicular, 1.5 x 2
mm, broader than long, wavy at margins, glanddotted, 3-veined with a depression at base; pollinia
2. Fruits not seen.
1 mm
1 mm
1 mm
c
f
d
e
51
by an entire and heart shaped lip which is greenish
yellow in colour. This is a giant sized species.
7. Oberonia mucronata (D. Don) Ormerod &
Seidenfaden, Contr. Orch. Fl. Thailand XIII: 20.1997.
Stelis mucronata D. Don, Prod. Fl. Nepal.32.1825.
Cymbidium iridifolium Roxb., Fl. Ind. 3:458. 1832.
Oberonia iridifolia (Roxb.)Lindl., Gen Sp. Orch. 15.
1830. p. p.; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 675. 1890;
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 25(3): 42. 1968 & Dansk
Bot. Ark. 33(1): 16. 1978. Oberonia denticulata Wight,
Ic. Pl. Ind. Or. 5(1):3. t. 1625.1851; Chauhan in Pathak
et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 92. 2001.
Till recently, this species was known under the name
O. iridifolia.
b
g
8. Oberonia myosurus Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 16. 1830
p. p.; Hook. f., Ic. Pl. T. 1786B. 1888 & Fl. Brit. India 5:
685. 1890; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 25(3): 14. Fig.
1. 1968 & Dansk Bot. Ark. 33(1):10.1978; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 93. 2001.
9. Oberonia pachyrachis Rchb. f. ex Hook. f., Fl. Brit.
India 5:681. 1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot.
Gard. Calcutta 8: 4. Pl. 3. 1898; Seidenfaden, Dansk
Bot. Ark. 25(3): 19. Fig.5. 1968 & Dansk Bot. Ark. 33(1):
11. 1978.
5 cm
a
Figure 15. Oberonia maxima Parish ex Hook. f. - a. Habit; b. Flower;
c. Floral bract; d. Dorsal sepal; e. Lateral sepal; f. Petal; g. Lip
Flowering: July-August.
Habitat: Evergreen forests at 700 m.
Occurrence: India: Manipur, Kasom Khullen
Distribution: India, Myanmar and Thailand.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Kason Khullen,
flowered under cultivation on 26 August 1996, C. Sathish
Kumar 28750 (TBGT!); Maoking D. B. Deb 994 (CAL! No
flower left).
Note: The type was a Parish collection (287 K) from
Moulmein, Myanmar. This species is characterized
10. Oberonia pyrulifera Lindl., Fol. Orch. Oberonia
3.1859; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 678. 1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8::14.
Pl.16B.1898; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard.
Edinburgh 21(3):153. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India
3(2):128. 1961; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 25(3):
38. 1968 & Dansk Bot. Ark. 33(1):23.1978; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 93. 2001.
Watt collected this species from East Manipur (George
Watt 6438, CAL!). Mukerjee found it in Zolloi at
1700m. on 15 May 1848 (Dr S K Mukerjee 2880, CAL!).
Odontochilus Blume
An Indo-Malesian genus of about 20 species of
terrestrial orchids most closely related to Anoectochilus
to which it has been sunken until Ormerod came up
with distinguishing combination of characters such
as nodose and leafy stem, a terminal raceme of small
flowers with prominently pectinate flange on the claw
of lip which has a small saccate hypochile and a
normally bilobed epichile. About six species are
found in India with one reported from Manipur.
Odontochilus grandiflorus Benth. & Hook. f. ex
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:100.1890; Anoectochilus
grandiflorus Lindl., J. Proc. Linn. Soc. Bot. 1:179. 1857;
King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8:296.
52 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
Pl. 393.1898; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci.
& Com. 85. 2001.
Originally reported from Sikkim and Meghalaya, this
was later found to occur in Manipur, Arunachal
Pradesh and Mizoram.
Ornithochilus (Lindley) Bentham
An Indo-Malesian genus of three epiphytic species
characterized by short stem, large fleshy leaves and
many flowered branching inflorescence. Only one
species has been recorded from India including
Manipur.
Ornithochilus difformis (Wallich ex Lindl.)Schltr.,
Fed. Repert. Beih. 4:277. 1919; Seidenfaden, Opera
Bot. 95: 43.1988; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 93. 2001. Aerides difforme Wallich ex
Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 242. 1833. Ornithochilus fuscus
Wallich ex Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 242. 1833. in syn;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:76. 1890; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 200.Pl. 268.1898;
Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 551. 1979.
Otochilus Lindley
A small genus of five epiphytic species (Seidenfaden,
1976) distributed from India to Indo-China and
characterized by articulate stem, 2 leaved nodes and
a subterminal raceme of small white to creamy yellow
flowers. Four species are known from India. Three
species are found in Manipur.
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 143. Pl. 199.1898;
Seidenfaden, Bot. Tidsskr. 71(1-2): 9. Fig. 8. 1976;
Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 287. 1979;
Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Congr.76.
1984; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 89:90.1986; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 93. 2001.
Watt collected this species from Manipur (Watt 6482,
K). Devi and Ghatak reported it from Phedinga at
700 m.
3. Otochilus porrectus Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 36.1830;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:844.1890; Seidenfaden, Bot.
Tidsskr. 71(1-2): 10.Fig. 10.1976; Pradhan, Ind. Orch.
Guide to Iden. Cult. 287. p. p. 1979; Devi & Ghatak,
Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing. 75. 1984;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 89:91.1986; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 93. 2001.
Devi and Ghatak reported this species from Phedinga
at 700 m.
Pachystoma Blume
An Indo-Malesian genus of 2-5 species of terrestrial
orchids with subterranean tubers, grass like leaves
and a lateral raceme of greenish white to yellow to
pink flowers which are more or less secundly
arranged. Two species are found in India. One species
occurs in Manipur.
1a.
Flowers large; rostellum and operculum long
beaked…………................………… O. porrectus
1b.
Flowers small; rostellum and operculum not
long beaked ………..........………........................ 2
Pachystoma pubescens Blume, Bijdr. 376. Pl. 29. 1825;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 89:54. 1986. Apaturia senilis
Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 130. 1831. Pachystoma senile
(Lindl.)Rchb. f., Bonplandia 3:251.1855; Hook. f., Fl.
Brit. India 5:815. 1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy.
Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 101.Pl. 140.1898; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 93. 2001.
2a.
Leaves linear-lanceolate……………....O. fuscus
Panisea (Lindl.) Steudel
2b.
Leaves ovate-lanceolate……...................O. albus
An Indo-Indo-Chinese genus of seven epiphytic
species (Lund, 1987) characterized by congested
pseudobulbs with one or two duplicate and narrowly
elliptic leaves and an inflorescence of one to many
white or greenish yellow flowers. India is known to
have three species. Two species have so far been
recorded from Manipur.
1. Otochilus albus Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 35.1830;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:843. 1890; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 143.Pl. 200.1898;
Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh
21(3):153.1953; Seidenfaden, Bot. Tidsskr. 71(12):10.Fig. 9.1976; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden.
Cult. 288. 1979; Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN
Orch. Cong. Sing. 75. 1984; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot.
89:91.1986; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci.
& Com. 93. 2001.
Mukerjee reported this species from Ukhrul and Devi
and Ghatak reported it from Pheding at 700 m.
2. Otochilus fuscus Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 35.1830;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 844. 1890; King & Pantling,
1a
Flowers white; lip 2 tubercled ……. P. demissa
1b.
Flowers yellow; lip with 3 calli……. P. tricallosa
1. Panisea demissa (D. Don) Pfitz. in Pfitzer &
Kranzlin, Orch.-Coelog. Pflanzenr. Heft 32:141.1907;
Hegde & Rao, Ind. J. For. 7(1):77. 1984; Seidenfaden,
Opera Bot. 89:86.1986; Lund, Nord. J. Bot.
7(5):517.1987. Dendrobium demissum D. Don, Prodr.
Fl. Nepal. 34. 1825.
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
Meebold collected this species from Phalang Naga
Hills at 5-6000ft in December 1907 (A. Meebold 7091,
CAL!).
2. Panisea tricallosa Rolfe, Kew Bull. 1901:148;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 89:86.1986; Lund, Nord. J.
Bot. 7(5): 525.1987; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 93. 2001.
Fig. 16
53
1. Paphiopedilum hirsutisssimum (Lindl. ex
Hook.)Stein, Orchideenbuch 470. 1892; Pfitzer in
Engler, Bot. Jarhb. 19:41. 1894 & Engler, Das
Pflanzenr. IV, 50:69. 1903; Pradhan, Paph. World
2:84. 1972; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Ident. Cult.
39. 1976; Kataki, Lady’s Slipper orch. 16. 1984; Devi
& Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing. 75.
1984;Cribb, The Genus Paph. 138. 1987 & 220. 1998;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com.
93. 2001. Cypripedium hirsutissimum Lindl.ex Hook.
in Curtis’s Bot. Mag. 83: t. 4990. 1857; Hook. f., Fl.
Brit. India 6: 171. 1890.
Fig. 12d
Devi and Ghatak reported this from Moreh at
200 m.
2. Paphiopedilum insigne (Wallich ex Lindl.) Pfitz.
in Engler & Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. 2(6):84. 1889
& Engler, Das Pflanzenr. IV, 50:73. 1903; Pradhan,
Ind. Orch. Guide to Ident. Cult. 36. 1976; Devi &
Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing.75.1984;
Kataki, Lady’s Slipper Orch.13. 1984; Cribb, The
Genus Paph. 220. 1987 & 231.1998; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 93. 2001.
Cypripedium insigne Wallich ex Lindl., Collect. Bot.
t. 32.1821; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 172. 1890. Fig. 20a
Figure 16. Panisea tricallosa Rolfe - a. Flower showing 3 callose lip
Devi and Ghatak reported this species from
Khudangthabi at 1340 m.
Devi and Ghatak recoreded this species from
Imphal.
1a.
Leaves uniformly green……………………..… 2
3. Paphiopedilum spicerianum (Rchb. f. ex Masters
& T. Moore)Pfitz. in Pringsh. Jarhb. Wiss. Bot.
19:164.1888; in Engler, Pflanzenr. Orch. Pleon. 76.
1903; Pradhan 1976:38; Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th
ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing. 75. 1984; Kataki, Lady’s
Slipper Orch. 17. 1984; Cribb, The Genus Paph. 155.
1987; 269.1998; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 93. 2001. Cypripedium spicerianum Rchb.
f. ex Masters & T. Moore in Gard. Chron. n. s. 12:505.
1879; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:172. 1890.
]Fig. 20b
1b.
Leaves mottled with dark green and grey-green
…....................................................... P. venustum
Devi and Ghatak reported this species from Nungba
at 831 m.
2a.
Dorsal sepal white with a median maroon vein
…………...................……………. P. spicerianum
2b.
Dorsal sepal not as above……....…………….. 3
3a.
Petals half twisted near the apex, strongly
undulate on basal margins......P. hirsutissimum
3a.
Petals not twisted near the apex …………….. 4
4a.
Petals spathulate, obtuse, undulate on upper
margin in basal two-thirds...............…P. insigne
4b.
Petals obovate-spathulate, retuse-emarginate,
not undulate…..................…….…… P. villosum
4. Paphiopedilum venustum (Wallich ex Sims)Pfitz.
in Jahrb. Wiss. Bot. 19:163. 1888; Stein,
Orchideenbuch 489.1892; Pfitz. in Engler, Bot.
Jahrb.19:41.1894 & in Engler, Pflanzenr. Orch. Pleon.
81. 1903; Pradhan in Orch. Dig. 38:195.1974; Pradhan
in Orch. Dig. 40:92. 1976; Kataki, Lady’s Slipper
Orch. 12.1984; Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN
Orch. Cong. Sing.75. 1984; Cribb, The Genus Paph.
211. 1987 & 392. 1998.Cypripedium venustum Wallich
in Curtis’s Bot. Mag. 47:t. 2129. 1820;Hook. f., Fl. Brit.
India 6:173. 1890
Paphiopedilum Pfitzer
An Indo-Malesian genus of about 90 predominanatly
terrestrial herbs characterized by a unique slipper
shaped lip and a characteristic staminode. Some
species have mottled leaves. Nine species are known
from India and five species occur in Manipur.
Devi and Ghatak recorded it from Imphal.
54 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
5. Paphiopedilum villosum (Lindl.) Stein,
Orchideenbuch 490. 1892;Pfitz. in Engler, Bot. Jahrb.
19:41. 1894 & in Engler, Pflanzenr. Orch. Pleon. 72.
1903; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden.
Cult.1:37.1976; Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN
Orch. Cong. Sing. 75. 1984; Kataki, Lady’s Slipper
Orch. 14. 1984; Cribb, The Genus Paph.150.1987 &
254. 1998. Cypripedium villosum Lindl. in Gard.
Chron. 1854:135. 1854: Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India
1890:171.
Devi and Ghatak recorded this species from Imphal.
Papilionanthe Schlechter
An Indo-Malesian genus of ten epiphytic species
characterized by terete leaves, highly colourful
flowers that have a long column-foot and a curious
lip. India is known to have five species with two in
Manipur.
1a.
Flowers pinkish white with darker lip having
yellow throat............................................. P. teres
1b.
Flowers pure white………..………P. vandarum
1. Papilionanthe teres (Roxb.) Schltr., Orchis 9:78. Fig.
12.1915; Garay, Bot. Mus. Leafl, Harv. Univ. 23(10):
371.1974; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.
563. 1979; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 95:230. 1988.
Dendrobium teres Roxb., Fl. Ind. 3:485. 1832. Vanda teres
(Roxb.)Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 217.1833; Hook. f., Fl.
Brit. India6:49. 1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot.
Gard. Calcutta 8: 214. Pl. 285.1898; Chauhan in Pathak
et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 93. 2001.
Figure 17. Papilionanthe vandarum (Rchb. f.) Garay - a. Flower (after CSK
28723).
We collected this species from the Military Campus
at Imphal growing on old trees.
1a.
Flowers small with sepals about 2 cm or less
………………………...................…….. P. henryi
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Imphal C. Sathish
Kumar s.n. (TBGT!).
1b.
Flowers large with sepals about 3 cm or
more……………...……..…........……P. susannae
2. Papilionanthe vandarum (Rchb. f.) Garay, Bot.
Mus. Leafl. Harvard Univ. 23(10):372.1974;
Christenson, Amer. Orch. Soc. Bull. 63:1375. 1994;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 93.
2001. Aerides vandarum Rchb. f. in Gard. Chron. 997.
1867.
1. Pecteilis henryi Schltr., Fed. Repert. Beih. 4:45. 1919;
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 31(3):23.1977; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 93. 2001.
We collected this species from between Kasom
Khullen and Saram growing on road side trees. It is
quite close to P. biswasiana but petals are broad with
a narrow base, 3 lobed lip has two erect sidelobes
and bilobulate midlobe, lobules are heart-shaped,
disc 1 keeled and keel rounded.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Near Saram C.
Sathish Kumar 28723 (TBGT!); Sirohee S. K. Mukerjee 2779
(CAL!).
Pecteilis Rafinesque
An Indo-Malesian genus of 6-7 terrestrial species
characterized by short stigma lobes and a variously
laciniate or rarely entire lip with a long spur at base.
Four species are known from India. Two are found
in Manipur.
2. Pecteilis susannae (L.)Rafin. Fl. Tell. 2:38. 1837;
Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):
153. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):128. 1961;
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 31(3):22.1977;
Seidenfaden & Wood, Orch. Peinins. Mal. Sing. 108.
1992. Orchis susannae L., Sp. Pl. 939. 1753. Habenaria
susannae (L.)R. Br., Prodr. 312. 1810; Hook. f., Fl. Brit.
India6: 137. 1890. Platanthera susannae (L.)Lindl., Gen.
Sp. Orch. 295.1835 (excl. some syn.); Pradhan, Ind.
Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 56. 1976.
Mukerjee reported this species from Khayang at
2000 m.
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
Peristylus Blume
An Indo-Malesian genus of some 60-70 species of
ground orchids characterized by variously shaped
tuberoids, ensheathed stem, fleshy leaves and
aterminal inflorescence of mostly green to creamy
yellow flowers. Twenty seven species and two
varieties are known from India. Six species are so far
reported from Manipur.
1a.
Sidelobes of lip thread like, longer than midlobe
…………………...................………….…………2
1b.
Sidelobes of lip not thread like, shorter than
midlobe ………………………............………….3
2a.
Spur slender, cylindrical, acute .…….. P. densus
2b.
Spur globular, slightly bifid at base
............................................................. P. tipuliferus
3a.
Lip with a callus on disc………….P. lacertiferus
3b.
Lip without any callus on disc …………....……4
4a.
Leaves linear, grass like ……..……... P. mannii
4b.
Leaves lanceolate to ovate, not grass like............5
5a.
Entrance to spur wide opened, naked.... P. affinis
5b.
Entrance to spur minute with a triangular
nectary ………….......………… P. goodyeroides
1. Peristylus affinis (D. Don) Seidenf., Dansk Bot.
Ark. 31(3):48.1977; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 93. 2001. Habenaria affinis D. Don,
Prodr. Fl. Nepal. 25. 1825. Habenaria goodyeroides var.
affinis King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta
8: 327. Pl. 430. 1898. Habenaria goodyeroides auct. p. p.:
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 161. 1890.
2. Peristylus densus (Lindl.)Santapau & Kapadia, J.
Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 57:128. 1960; Seidnfaden,
Dansk Bot. Ark. 31(3):32.1977; Chauhan in Pathak et
al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 93. 2001. Coeloglossum
densum Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 302. 1832. Platanthera
stenostachya Lindl. ex Benth., Hooker’s J. Bot. & Kew
Misc. 7:37. 1855. Habenaria stenostachya (Lindl. ex
Benth.)Benth., Fl. Hongk. 362. 1861; Hook. f., Fl. Brit.
India 6: 156. 1890. Peristylus stenostachyus (Lindl. ex
Benth.)Krzl., Orch. Gen. Sp. 502.1901; Mukerjee,
Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3): 153.
1953;Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):128. 1961.
Mukerjee reported this species from Sirohee.
3. Peristylus goodyeroides (D. Don)Lindl., Gen. Sp.
Orch. 299. 1835; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):128.
1961; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 31(3):53.1977;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 93.
2001.Habenaria goodyeroides D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal.
55
25. 1825; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:161. 1890 (excl. syn.
H. grandis); King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard.
Calcutta 8: 326. Pl. 430. 1898.
Deb found this species to be common in Manipur.
4. Peristylus lacertiferus (Linld.)J. J. Sm., Bull.
Buitenz. 3. s. 9:23. 1927; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark.
31(3): 58.1977; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 93. 2001. Coeloglossum lacertiferum Lindl.,
Gen. Sp. Orch. 302. 1835. Habenaria lacertifera
(Lindl.)Benth., Fl. Hongk. 362. 1861; Hook. f., Fl. Brit.
India 6: 163 (incl. var. robusta). 1890; Deb, Bull. Bot.
Surv. India 3(2):127. 1961.
J. D. Hooker studied material from Manipur for his
treatment in Flora of British India. Deb collected it from
Mao at 1800 m.
5. Peristylus mannii (Rchb. f.) Mukerjee, Notes Roy.
Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3): 153. 1953; Seidenfaden,
Dansk Bot.Ark. 21(3): 45.1977; Chauhan in Pathak et
al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 93. 2001.Celoglossum
mannii Rchb. f., Linnaea 41:54. 1877. Peristylus “Hook.
f. ” Clarke, J. Linn. Soc. 25:73. 1889. Habenaria gracillima
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:163. 1890.
Mukerjee reported this species from Ukhrul.
6. Peristylus tipuliferus (Parish & Rchb. f.)Mukerjee,
Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):158. 1953;
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 31(3): 41.1977; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 94. 2001.
Habenaria tipulifera Parish & Rchb. f., Trans. Linn. Soc.
30:139.1974; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:157. 1890.
Habenaria brandisii Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:162. 1890.
Mukerjee reported this species from Litan and
Ukhrul.
Phaius Loureiro
An Old World genus of about 50 terrestrial species
characterized by a leafy plurinodal stem, variously
shaped leaves and a lateral raceme of brightly
coloured flowers.Five species are known from India.
Three species occur in Manipur.
1a.
Scape axillary or from amongst the leaves, not
exceeding the leaves ...............… P. mishmensis
1b.
Scape from side of the pseudobulb, tall stout.....2
2a.
Leaves spotted with dull yellow; flowers golden
yellow ………..............................………P. flavus
2b.
Leaves uniformly green without spots; flowers
buff and purple …...............……P. tankervilleae
1. Phaius flavus (Blume)Lindl., Gen Sp. Orch.
128.1831; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh
56 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
21(3):154. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India
3(2):128.1961; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden.
Cult. 703. 1979; Seidenfaden,Opera Bot. 89:41.1986;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com.
94. 2001. Limodorum flavum Blume, Bijdr. 375. 1825.
Phaius maculatus Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 127.1831;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:817.1890; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8:107. T. 149. 1898.
Mukerjee reported this species from Lamlang at
2000m.
2. Phaius mishmensis (Lind. & Paxt.)Rchb. f.,
Bonplandia 5:43.1857; Hook. f., Fl. Brit.
India5:817.1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot.
Gard. Calcutta 8: 109. Pl.152. 1898; Pradhan, Ind.
Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 703. 1979; Devi & Ghatak,
Proc. 5 th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing. 75. 1984;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 89:47.1986; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 94. 2001.
Limatodis mishmensis Lindl. & Paxt., Flower Gard.
3:36. 1852.
Devi and Ghatak reported this species from Tami
at 690 m.
3. Phaius tankervilleae (Banks ex l’Heritier)Blume,
Mus. Bot. Lugd. 2(12):177.1856; Pradhan, Ind. Orch.
Guide to Iden. Cult.703. 1979; Devi & Ghatak in Vij
(Ed.), Orch. Biol. Cons. Cult. 75. 1986; Seidenfaden
in Opera Bot. 89: 43. 1986; Chauhan in Pathak et al.
(Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 94. 2001. Limodorum
tankervilleae Banks ex l’Heritier, Sert. Ang.28. 1789.
Phaius grandifolius Lour., Fl. Cochinch. 2:529. 1790;
Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing.
75. 1984. Phaius wallichii Lindl. in Wallich, Pl. As.
Rar. 2:46. T. 158.1831; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India5:816 &
6: 191. 1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard.
Calcutta 8:108. Pl. 150.1898; Mukerjee, Notes Roy.
Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3): 154. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot.
Surv. India 3(2):129. 1961.
Mukerjee collected this species from Ukhrul.
Phalaenopsis Blume
An Indo-Malesian genus of some 40 epiphytic
species characterized by short stems, thick, shining,
flat and broad leaves and an inflorescence bearing
strikingly beautiful flowers (Christenson, 2001). Five
species are known from India. Two species could
be collected from Manipur including a new record
for India.
1a.
Lip white with parallel red stripes on sidelobes,
red on front of central appendage and base of
column…………………………… P. cornucervi
1b.
Lip yellow at base with deep orange on sidelobe
region and pale rose at apex; light violet or pink
at base of column …………....…….. P. fasciata
1. Phalaenopsis cornucervi (Breda) Blume & Rchb.
f., Hamb. Gartenz. 16:116. 1860; Devi & Ghatak, Proc.
5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing.75. 1984; Seidenfaden,
Opera Bot. 95:239. 1988. Polychilos cornucervi Breda
in Kuhl & v. Hasselt, Gen. Sp. Pl. 1. 1827; Shim, Mal.
Nat. J. 36: 23. 1982.
Devi and Ghatak reported this species from Jiribam.
2. Phalaenopsis fasciata Rchb. f., Gard. Chron. n.s.
18:134.182; Christenson, Phalaenopsis A mono. 17.
2001. Polychilos fasciata (Rchb. f.)Shim, Mal. Nat. J.
36:25. 1982.
Figs. 18, 20c
Epiphytes. Leaves 15-20 x 4-6 cm, elliptic to obovate,
channelled above, obtuse rounded at apex.
Inflorescence arising from the base of the stem,
arching, shorter than the leaves, sometimes longer,
a few flowered, pleasantly fragrant; floral bract 4 x
3 mm, triangular with acute apex; pedicel plus ovary
1.8 cm, offwhite;sepals and petals spreading with
yellow background and deep brown stripes; dorsal
sepal 2.4 x 1 cm, elliptic, 7-veined, backwardly
folded, acute at apex; lateral sepals 2.4 x 1.4 cm,
ovate-elliptic, 7-veined, margin slightly wavy,
acuminate at apex; petals 2.1 x 0.9 cm, elliptic to
ovate, 7-veined, acute at apex; lip 3 lobed, 2 x 1.5
cm across sidelobes region, sidelobes oblong-ovate,
erect, parallel, obliquely truncate with pointed apex,
0.6 x 0.4 cm, yellowish at base and pale rose at apex
having small brown dots within, a small furrow in
the middle as a projection, a bunch of orange yellow
fleshy tubercles in the middle of the two sidelobes;
midlobe oblong-obovate with a central keel and an
apical pad of raised tissue having a few scattered
trichomes just behind the apical pad; basal portion
with two pairs of thorn like projection placed one
above the other with the smaller being above and
forward pointing; column arching, pale rose, club
shaped, 1.2 cm long. Fruits not seen.
Flowering: December-January
Habitat: Evergreen forests at 800 m.
Occurrence: India, Manipur, Tupul.
Distribution: India and Philippines.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur, Tupul: C. Sathish
Kumar 28259 (TBGT!); 23 December 1998, C. Sathish Kumar
28764 (TBGT!).
Note: We got our specimens from Tupul at an altitude
of 760 m. It flowered under cultivation at TBGRI.
Identification of this species posed some problems
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
as there were many species with the same colour
pattern. Dr Eric Christenson, USA who studied our
sketches and photos confirmed it to be Phalaenopsis
57
fasciata Rchb. f. known only from the Philippines.
Thus, the present discovery forms a new record for
India.
1 cm
d
e
b
1 cm
1 cm
f
c
3 cm
a
Figure 18. Phalaenopsis fasciata Rchb. f., Gard. - a. Habit; b. Flower showing column and lip (sepals and petals removed); c. Dorsal sepal; d. Petal;
e. Lateral sepal (after CSK 28259).
58 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
Pholidota Lindley ex W. J. Hooker
An Indo-Malesian genus of about 29 epiphytic species
with seven varieties (Seidenfaden, 1986) characterized
by the bifariously arranged flowers with conspicuous
bracts. Seven species with one variety are known from
India. Four species are so far recorded from Manipur.
1a.
Pseudobulbs caespitose; new ones from the side
of a pseudobulb …………................………….. 2
1b.
Pseudobulbs superposed; new ones from apex
of previous pseudobulb ……................….……3
2a.
Leaves leathery; lateral sepals free at base
……………………........…………… P. imbricata
2b.
Leaves thin; lateral sepals connate near base
……………………............………… P. bracteata
3a.
Scapes arising from the sheaths of the internodes
……………........................………… P. protracta
3b.
Scape arising from the top of the pseudobulbs
between the leaves ….................…..P. articulata
1. Pholidota articulata Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 38. 1830;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:884. 1890; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 146. Pl. 205. 1898;
Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):154.
1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):129. 1961;
Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 294. 1979;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 89:96.1986; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 94. 2001:
Pholidota griffithii Hook. f., Ic. Pl. T. 1881. 1889 & Fl.
Brit. India 5: 845.1890; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to
Iden. Cult. 294. 1979; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 94. 2001; P. obovata Hook. f., Fl.
Brit. India 5:845. 1890. P. lugardii Rolfe, Kew Bull.
1893:6. 1893. P. articulata var. griffithii (Hook. f.)King
& Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8:147. Pl.
204. 1898.
Fig. 20d
Rchb. f., Bonplandia 4:329.1856; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India
5:846.1890; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard.
Edinburgh 21(3): 154. 1953; Pradhan, Ind. Orch.
Guide to Iden. Cult. 292. 1979; Chauhan in Pathak et
al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 94. 2001 P. imbricata var.
sessile Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 846. 1890.
Mukerjee recorded this species from Ukhrul at
2000 m.
3. Pholidota imbricata W. J. Hook., Exot. Fl. 2:T. 138.
1825; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):129. 1961;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 95:98. 1988. P. imbricata var.
coriacea Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:846. 1890.
Deb reported it from Kairengi at 900 m.
4. Pholidota protracta Hook. f., Ic. Pl. T.1877.1889;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:845.1890; Mukerjee, Notes
Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3): 154. 1953; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 94. 2001.
Mukerjee reported this species from Khangkhui.
Phreatia Lindley
An Indo-Malesian genus of about 150 species of
epiphytic orchids characterized by minute flowers,
very simple and unornamented lip and eight
pollinaria. It is represented in India by three species.
Only one species has been recorded from Manipur.
Phreatia elegans Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 63.1830; Hook.
f., Fl. Brit. India 5:810.1890; Chauhan in Pathak et al.
(Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 93. 2001.
Lindley described this species based on Macrae’s
collection from Sri Lanka. We haven’t seen any
specimen from Manipur. CAL has specimens from
Meghalaya and Sikkim, besides Dr A. Henry’s
collections from China and Taiwan.
Pleione D. Don
Flowering: April-May.
Habitat: Primary and secondary forests at 6002000 m.
Occurrence: Manipur, Thoubal, Sirohee.
Distribution: Indo-Malesia.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Thoubal C. Sathish
Kumar 28737, 28760 (TBGT!); Sirohee S. K. Mukerjee
3212(CAL!)
2. Pholidota bracteata (D. Don) Seidenf., Opera Bot.
89:100.1986. Ptilonema bracteatum D. Don, Prodr. Fl.
Nepal. 33. 1825. Pholidota pallida Lindl., Bot. Reg. 21.
sub T. 177. 1835. Pholidota imbricata auct. non W. J.
Hook. : Lindley, Bot. Reg. T. 1213. 1829. P. calceata
An Asian mainland genus that extends to South
China and Taiwan with its 14 epiphytic species
(Cribb, Tang & Butterfield, 1983) and characterized
by short habit and large and stunningly beautiful
flowers. Five species are known from India. Four are
reported to occur in Manipur.
1a.
Pseudobulbs 1 leaved …………...……………. 2
1b.
Pseudobuls 2 leaved ………….......…………... 3
2a.
Leaves hysteranthous; lip base saccate...........
……………………...………………… P. humilis
2b.
Leaves synanthous; lip base not saccate
…………………......………………P. hookeriana
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
3a.
Sepals and petals creamy white, sometimes with
streaks of pink …................………..P. maculata
3b.
Sepals and petals pink to pinkish purple
……………….........……………………P. praecox
1. Pleione hookeriana (Lindl.)B. S. Williams, Orchid
Grow. Man. Ed. 6, 548. 1885; Mukerjee, Notes Roy.
Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3): 154. 1953;Cribb, Tang &
Butterfield, Curtis’s Bot. Mag. 184(3):112.1983;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 114:106.1992; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 94. 2001.
Coelogyne hookeriana Lindl., Fol. Orch. Coelogyne
14.1854; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 842. 1890.
Mukerjee reported this species from Sirohee at
2600 m.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Sirohee Dr S
K Mukerjee 3238 (CAL!).
2. Pleione humilis (J. E. Sm.)D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal.
37. 1825; Cribb, Tang & Butterfield, Curtis’s Bot.Mag.
184(3): 119.1983; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 94. 2001. Epidendrum humile J. E. Sm.,
Exot. Bot. T. 98.1806. Coelogyne humilis (J. E.
Sm.)Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 43.1830; Hook. f., Fl. Brit.
India 5:840. 1890.
Cribb et al. recorded this species from Manipur.
3. Pleione maculata (Lindl.)Lindl.Paxt. Fl. Gard. 2:5.
T. 39.1851; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.
281; Cribb, Tang & Butterfield, Curtis’s Bot. Mag.
184(3):106. Fig. 1B. T. 860. 1983; Seidenfaden, Opera
Bot. 89: 77.1988; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 94. 2001. Coelogyne maculata Lindl., Gen.
Sp. Orch. 43.1830; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:841 & 6:
194. 1890; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard.
Calcutta 8: 140. T. 195. 1898:
Meebold collected this species from Manipur in
November 1907 at 5000 ft.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Ningba A. Meebold
6562 (CAL!).
4. Pleione praecox (J. E. Sm.) D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal.
37. 1825; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh
21(3): 154. 1953;Cribb, Tang & Butterfield, Curtis’s
Bot. Mag. 184(3):110.1983; Chauhan in Pathak et al.
(Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 94. 2001. Epidendrum praecox
J. E. Sm., Exot. Bot. 2:23. T. 97. 1806. Coelogyne praecox
(J. E. Sm.)Lindl., Coll. Bot. sub T. 37.1826; Hook. f.,
Fl. Brit. India 5:840 & 6:194. 1890; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 141. Pl. 196. 1898.
Mukerjee collected this species from Sirohee at
2500 m.
59
Polystachya W. J. Hooker
A pantropical genus of some 200 epiphytic species of
orchids with a mian centre of distribution in Africa
characterised by pseudobulbous stems bearing a few
leaves and a single or branched inflorescence of
variously coloured (creamy green to light pink in
Asia) flowers. Only one species has been recorded
from India, also occurring in Manipur.
Polystachya concreta (Jacq.) Garay & Sweet,
Orcquideologia 9(3):206. 1974; Seidenfaden in Opera
Bot. 95:14. 1988. Epidendrum concretum Jacq., Enum.
Syst. Pl. 30. 1760. Onychium flavescens Blume, Bijdr.
325. 1825. Polystachya flavescens (Blume) J. J. Sm., Fl.
Buitenz.6: 285. Fig. 218.1905; Pradhan, Ind. Orch.
Guide to Iden. Cult. 371.1979.
This is a pantropical species.
Porpax Lindley
An Indo-Malesian genus of 13 epiphytic or lithophytic
species characterized by discoid and compressed
pseudobulbs and tubular flowers. Six species are
known from India. Only one species has been so far
recorded from Manipur.
Porpax gigantea Deori, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 17:174.
1978; Seidenfaden, Bot. Tidsskr.72(1):6. 1977 & Opera
Bot. 89: 120. 1986.
Deori recorded this species from Manipur.
Renanthera Loureiro
An Indo-Malesian genus of about 15 species of
epiphytic orchids characterized by monopodial habit
and an often branched inflorescence of strikingly
coloured, often red flowers. One species occurs in
India, known from Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh,
Mizoram and Nagaland.
Renanthera imschootiana Rolfe, Kew Bull. 1891:200.
1891; Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong.
Sing.76.1984; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 114:367.1992;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 94.
2001. R. papilio King & Prain, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Bengal
64(3):328. 1895.
Figs. 19, 22a
A fairly common species in Manipur, R. imschootiana
is much exploited by orchid traders for breeding
experiments. Several intergeneric hybrids involving
this species have been produced and they, like the
parent, are a hot favourite of orchid lovers. Flowers
of this species are scarlet red. Dorsal sepal is light
brownish yellow, petals light cream with pink spots
towards tip, lateral sepals scarlet red, very small,
saccate lip 3-lobed, sidelobes sharp, erect, deep scarlet
60 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
red and midlobe apex scarlet red. There are two keels
at sidelobes region and three at midlobe region.
Sing.76.1984; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 95:214.1988;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 94.
2001. Epidendrum retusum L., Sp. Pl. 953. 1753.
This species is common at Thoubal.
Specimen Examined: INDIA; Manipur: Imphal C. Sathish
Kumar 28737 (TBGT!)
Rhytionanthos Garay et al.
1 cm
b
a
1 mm
c
Figure 19. Renanthera imschootiana Rolfe - a. Flower (front view);
b. Flower side view; c. Pollinarium (after CSK 28738).
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Khongya near
Moreh C. Sathish Kumar 28738 (TBGT!); Between Khairung
and Maitiphun-Manipur-Naga Hills frontier May 1892 Lt.
Lugard s. n. (Acc. No. 457529, CAL!); Munnipore Hiils June
1899 Capt. Chatterton s. n. (Acc No. 457524, CAL!). Assam:
18 May 1895 Lt. Chatterton 558 (CAL!, Type of Renanthera
papilio King & Prain). Mizoram: South Lushai Hills near
Fort Lungh 3000 ft. April 1899 A. T. Gage 230 (CAL!).
BURMA(MYANMAR), Taunggyi: May 1938 F. G. Dickason
9332 (Acc. No. 457525, CAL!).
Rhynchostylis Blume
An Indo-Southeast Asian genus of four epiphytic
species characterized by short stems, thick and fleshy
leaves and lateral inflorescence of closely arranged
flowers. Two species have been recorded from India
andboth found in Manipur.
An Indo-Malesian genus of about a dozen species of
epiphytic orchids characterized by non twisted
involute, lateral sepals firmly united along both
margins and presenting a horn or pouch-like
appearance. Eight species are known from India. Only
one species has been recorded from Manipur.
Rhytionanthos cornutum (Lindl.)Garay, Hamer &
Siegerist, Nord. J. Bot. 14(6):637. 1994; Seidenfaden,
Opera Bot. 124: 51. 1995. Cirrhopetalum coruntum
Lindl., Bot. Reg. 24: misc. 75. 1838. Bulbophyllum
cornutum (Lindl.) Rchb. f. in Walp. Ann. 6:261. 1861.
Phyllorchis helenae Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Pl. 2:676. 1891.
Bulbophyllum helenae (Kuntze)J. J. Sm., Bull. Buitenz.
Ser. 2. 8:24. 1912; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 86. 2001.
Satyrium Swartz
An Old World genus of about 100 species of terrestrial
orchids with a centre of distribution in Africa and
characterized by tuberoid rhizomes, fleshy stems and
leaves, and a terminal inflorescence of varying colours
with two collateral spurs on the lip. Only a single
species occurs in India, which is also recorded from
Manipur at high alititudes.
1a.
Lip apex 3-lobed………….……….. R. gigantea
Satyrium nepalense D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal. 26.
1825; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:168.1890; Mukerjee,
Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3): 154. 1953;
Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):129.1961; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 94. 2001.
1b.
Lip apex notched/ slightly retuse or apiculate
……………….................……………… R. retusa
Mukerjee recorded this species from Sirohi at 2500
m. on grassy fields.
1. Rhynchostylis gigantea (Lindl.)Ridley, J. Linn. Soc.
32:356.1896; Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch.
Cong. Sing. 74. 1984; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 95:217.
1988. Saccolabium giganteum Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 221.
1833.
Devi and Ghatak reported this species from
Khongampatt.
2. Rhynchostylis retusa (L.) Blume, Bijdr. 286. Fig.
49.1825; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:32. 1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 213. Pl. 284.
1898; Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong.
Schoenorchis Reinw.
An Indo-Malesio-Australasian genus of about 24
epiphytic speciesc characterized by small flowers
with spurred and fleshy lip firmly jointed to very
short footless column. Five species are known from
India. Two species have been recorded from
Manipur.
1a.
Epichile of lip with a large semicircular callus
……………………..............………… S. fragrans
1b.
Epichile without any callus ……….. S. gemmata
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
61
b
a
c
d
Figure 20. a. Paphiopedilum insigne (Wallich ex Lindl.) Pfitz.; b. Paphiopedilum spicerianum (Rchb. f. ex Masters & T. Moore) Pfitz.); c. Phalaenopsis fasciata
Rchb. f.; d. Pholidota articulata Lindl.
62 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
1. Schoenorchis fragrans (Parish & Rchb.f.) Seidenf.
& Smitin., Orch. Thailand 4(i): 611. 1963, p. p.; Hook.
f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 58. 1890. Schoenorchis manipurensis
U. C. Pradhan, Amer. Orch. Soc. Bull. 47:912. Fig. 1.
1978 & Ind. Orch. Guide to Ident. Cult. 529, 729. 1979;
Devi & Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing.
76. 1984.
Pradhan’s Manipur plant was found to be identical
with the Myanmar plant Saccolabium fragrans. Devi
and Ghatak reported this species from TuyaiWaichong area at 122 m.
2. Schoenorchis gemmata (Lindl.)J. J. Sm., Nat.
Tijdsschr. Ned. Ind. 72:100.1912; Pradhan, Ind. Orch.
Guide to Iden. Cult.526. 1979; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot.
95:71. 1988; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. &
Com. 94. 2001. Saccolabium gemmatum Lindl., Bot. Reg.
24. misc. 50. 1838; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 55. 197.
1890 & Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 5: 46. T. 70. 1895.
Cleisostoma gemmatum (Lindl.)King & Pantling, Ann.
Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 234. Pl. 313. 1898.
Spathoglottis Blume
An Indo-Malesio-Pacific genus of about 30 species of
terrestrial orchids characterized by often
subterranean pseudobulbs, linear to lanecolate plicate
leaves and a lateral inflorescence of beautiful flowers
having lip with twin calli at base of midlobe. Three
species are known from India. Only one species
occurs in Manipur.
Spathoglottis pubescens Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch.
120.1831; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 814.1890; Mukerjee,
Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):21(3):154.
1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):129.1953;
Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 249. 1979;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 94.
2001. S. bensonii Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:814. 1890;
Ic. Pl. T. 2087. 1892. S. parvifolia Lindl., Bot. Reg. 31:
sub T. 19. 1845. S. pubescens var. parvifolia
(Lindl.)Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:814. 1890. S. pubescens
var. berkeleyii Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:814.1890 &
6:191. 1890.
Mukherjee reported this species from Ukhrul at
2000m.
Spiranthes L. C. Rich.
A world wide genus of about 42 species of terrestrial
orchids characterized by soft tuberoids, fleshy stems
and leaves, and a terminal inflorescence of spirally
arranged variously coloured, often white to pink
flowers. Two species occur in India and one is
recorded from Manipur.
Spiranthes sinensis (Pers.)Ames, Orchis 2:53.1908;
Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3):154.
1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):124. 1953;
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 32(2):105.1978;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 95.
2001.Neottia sinensis Pers., Syn. Pl. 2: 511. 1807. N.
australis R. Br., Prodr. 319. 1810. Spiranthes australis
(R. Br.)Lindl., Bot. Reg. 10:sub t. 823.1824; Hook. f.,
Fl. Brit. India 6:102. 1890
Mukerjee recorded this species from Sirohee at
2300 m.
Sunipia Lindley
An Indo-Malesian genus of about a dozen species
characterized by a short subquadrate-truncate to
emarginate rostellum with pollinia attached to it
through a Y-shaped caudicle and a single gland.
Three species are known from India. Only one species
has been recorded from India.
Sunipia bicolor Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 179.1833;
Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 485. 1979;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 89: 176.1986. Ione bicolor
(Lindl.)Lindl., Fol. Orch. Ione 6. 1853; King& Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Grd. Calcutta 8: 159. T. 216. 1898:
Seidenfaden, Bot. Tidsskr. 64(2-3): 216. 1969.
Bulbophyllum bicolor (Lindl.) Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 5:
770. 1888, non Lindl.; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard.
Edinburgh 21(3): 150. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India
3(2):126. 1961.
Mukerjee recorded this species from Tosen at
2700 m.
Tainia Blume
An Indo-Malesian genus of about 25 species of
terrestrial orchids characterized by fleshy and
variously shaped pseudobulb bearing a single, long
petioled, variously shaped leaf and a long lateral
raceme of brightly coloured flowers. Six species are
known from India. Two species are reported from
Manipur.
1a.
Lip with 3 keels, lateral keels raising lamellately
at middle …………..............…………T. latifolia
1b.
Lip with 5 keels, raising lamellately at distal
region …….........………………… T. viridifusca
1. Tainia latifolia (Lindl.) Rchb. f., Bonplandia 5:54.
1857 (excl. syn. Calanthe visidifusca); Hook. f., Fl. Brit.
India5:820 & 6:192. 1890; Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard.
Calcutta 5:24. T. 35. 1895; King & Pantling, Ann. Roy.
Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 103. Pl. 142. 1898; Pradhan, Ind.
Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 273. 1979. Ania latifolia
Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 130. 1831.
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
Though Deb collected this species from Manipur, he
did not include it in his account on the monocot flora
of Manipur. At CAL there is a beautiful painting of
this species after a Sikkim plant first flowered in 1867
at Indian Botanic Garden. Lip is 3-lamellate with two
outer ones dilated. Pantling’s pencil sketches are
found on s. coll. s. n. (accession no. 454064, CAL!).
63
T. 26. 1845. Thelasis elongata Blume, Bot. Mus. Lugd.
2:187. 1856; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:86. 1890. Fig. 21
2 mm
2 mm
1 cm
b
Flowering: August-September
Habitat: Forest floor in shade.
c
f
Occurrence: Manipur, Koirengi.
Distribution: India, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand and
Laos.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Koirengi Deb
2583(CAL!).
2. Tainia viridifusca (W. J. Hook.) Benth. ex Hook. f.,
Fl. Brit. India 6:820.1890; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide
to Iden. Cult. 241. 1979; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 89:28.
1986. Calanthe viridifusca W. J. Hook., Bot. Mag. 78:T.
4669. 1852.
Pseudobulbs 2.5-5 cm long, obliquely conical. Petiole
about 60 cm long with 45-60 long linear-elliptic many
veined blade. inflorescence about equaling the petioled
leaf; peduncle and rachis 45-60 cm long and glaucous;
midlobe of lip apiculate.
a
d
1 mm
e
Figure 21. Thelasis pygmaea (Griffith) Blume - a. A portion of the
inflorescence; b. Floral bract; c. Dorsal sepal; d. Lip; e. Petal;
f. Pollinarium
Griffith’s type was collected from Nepal. We got our
specimens in vegetative condition, which flowered
under cultivation at TBGRI. Two leaved polished
green pseudobulbs, a long lateral spike of creamy
green flowers never fully opening and strongly keeled
boat shaped lateral sepals are very characteristic of
this species .
Flowering: May-June.
Flowering: January-March.
Habitat: Primary forest behind an army camp
Habitat: Forest floor.
Occurrence: Manipur, Tupul.
Occurrence: Manipur, no precise locality.
Distribution: India, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam,
China, Hong Kong, Malaya, Sumatra, Borneo and the
Philippines.
Distribution: India, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and
China.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: George Watt 6293 (K).
Nagaland: Naga Hills F. Kingdon-Ward 11209 (CAL!).
Meghalaya: Jarain, beyond Jowai R. Pantling s. n. (Acc. No.
454051, CAL!).
Thelasis Blume
An Indo-Malesian genus of about 25 epiphytic species
characterized by not fully opening flowers arranged
at the end of a long scape, lip with a longitudinal
thickening and a beaked operculum. Four species
have been recorded from India. Only one is known
to occur in Manipur.
Thelasis pygmaea (Griffith) Blume, Fl. Jav. 23.1858;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5:86. 1890; King & Pantling,
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 249. Pl. 331.1898;
Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 443. 1979;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 89:156.1979; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 95. 2001.
Euproboscis pygmaea Griffith, Calc. J. Nat. Hist. 5:371.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Tupul C Sathish
Kumar 28741 (TBGT!).
Thrixspermum Loureiro
An Indo-Malesian genus of about 165 species of
epiphytic orchids characterized by short or long
inflorescence bearing a few fugacious flowers
opening successively. Eight species are known from
India. Only one species is known to occur in
Manipur.
Thrixspermum centipeda Lour., Fl. Cochinch. 520.
1590; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 95:152. 1988; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 95. 2001.
Dendrocolla arachnites Blume, Bijdr. 287. Fig. 67. 1825.
Sarcochilus arachnites (Blume) Rchb. f. in Walp. Ann.
6:498.1863; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:41. 1890.
Thrixspermum arachnites (Blume)Rchb. f., Xen. Orch.
2:121. 1867; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.
503. 1979.
64 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
Thunia Reichenbach f.
Vanda Jones ex R. Br.
An Indo-Malesian genus of four epiphytic or
lithophytic species characterized by light grayish
green leaves and a terminal bunch of beautiful white
to pink flowers. Three species have been reported
from India and one from Manipur.
An Indo-Malesian genus of about 40 species of
epiphytic or lithophytic orchids characterized by long
profusely rooting stems, loriform leaves and axillary
racemes of variously coloured beautiful flowers.
Twelve species are known from India. Eight species
occur in Manipur.
Thunia alba (Lindl.)Rchb. f., Bot. Zeit. 10:764. 1852;
Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):129. 1961; Pradhan,
Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.439. 1979; Devi &
Ghatak, Proc. 5th ASEAN Orch. Cong. Sing. 76. 1984;
Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 89:14.1986; Chauhan in
Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 2001:95. Phaius
albus Lindl. in Wallich, Pl. As. Rar. 2: T. 198.1831;
Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21 (3):
154.1953; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India5:818 p. p. 1890; King
& Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 110. Pl.
153. 1898. p. p. Thunia marshalliana Rchb. f., Linnaea
41:65.1877; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.
439. 1979; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. &
Com. 95. 2001.
1a.
Flowers blue; lip much shorter than dorsal sepal
…………….............................……….. V. coerulea
1b.
Flowers not blue; lip same length as dorsal sepal
………………….............................………………2
2a.
Epichile of lip broadly ovate, fleshy, concave
with longitudinal purple streaks......…V. pumila
2b.
Epichile pandurate or broadening towards apex
…………………..........................………………. 3
3a.
Midlobe of lip with a basal narrow neck longer
than broad, widening into the strongly
bilobulate apical part ……………… V. liouvillei
Mukerjee recorded this species from Ukhrul at
1200 m.
3b.
Midlobe not as above …………………………. 4
4a.
Spur long, cylindric …………………..………. 5
Tropidia Lindley
4b.
Spur short, conical …………………………….. 6
A pantropical genus of 6 species of terrestrial orchids
characterized by often branched stems, broadly
elliptic to cordate-ovate leaves and a terminal
inflorescence of white to pale yellow flowers. India is
known to have four species. Only one has been
recorded from Manipur.
5a.
Front of epichile deeply notched, edges
recurved ………..........………… V. coerulescens
5b.
Front of epichile broad, rotundate, edges finely
erose-dentate …….......................…… V. testacea
6a.
Lip apex produced into two lobed processes
……………....................……………….V. cristata
6b.
Lip apex not produced into long processes
…………………...................…………………… 7
7a.
Sepals and petals golden green, tessellated with
chestnut brown …....................…… V. stangeana
7b.
Sepals and petals yellowish green or greenish
white without tessellation …...........…. V. alpina
Tropidia curculigoides Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch.
497.1840; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 93. 1890; King &
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 275.Pl.
366.1898; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh
21(3):154. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India
3(2):129.1961; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden.
Cult.101. 1979; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark.
32(2):110.1978; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 95. 2001.
Mukerjee found this species at Chatrik at 1000m.
Uncifera Lindley
An Indo-South East Asian genus of six epiphytic
orchids characterized by pendulous leafy stems and
leaf opposed and densely flowered racemes of pale
green to yellow flowers. Three species occur in India
and one in Manipur.
Uncifera acuminata Lindl., Journ. Linn. Soc.3:40.1859;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:65. 1890; Chauhan in Pathak
et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 95. 2001.
1. Vanda alpina (Lindl.) Lindl., Fol. Orch. Vanda
10.1853; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 43. 1890; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 95. 2001. Luisia
alpina Lindl. in Bot. Reg. 24: Misc. 56. 1838. Stauropsis
alpina (Lindl.)Tang & Wang in Acta Phytotax. Sin. 1:
93. 1951. Trudelia alpina (Lindl.)Garay, Orch. Dig.
50(2): 76. 1986.
Garay (1986) treats this under Trudelia.
2. Vanda coerulea Griffith ex Lindl., Bot. Reg. sub T.
30.1847; Clarke, J. Linn. Soc. 25:73.1889; Hook. f., Fl.
Brit. India 6:51.1890; Mukerjee, Notes Roy. Bot. Gard.
Edinburgh 21(3): 153. 1953; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv.
India 3(2):129.1961; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
65
a
b
c
d
Photographs by C. Suseendran
Figure 22. a. Renanthera imschootiana Rolfe; b. Vanda coerulea Griffith ex Lindl.; c. Vanda pumila Hook. f.; d. Vanilla parishii Rchb. f.
66 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
Iden. Cult. 567. 1979; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 95:196.
1988.
Fig. 22b
This is a commom species in Manipur.
Flowering: March –April.
Habitat: Primary forests.
Occurrence: Manipur: Tupul.
Flowering & Fruiting: August-December.
Habitat: Primary forests at 1300-1800 m.
Occurrence: Manipur:Ukhrul, Imphal.
Distribution: India, Myanmar, Thailand and China.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Ukrul Mukerjee 3480
(CAL!); Deb 1957(CAL!); Imphal C. Sathish Kumar s.n.
(TBGT!).
3. Vanda coerulescens Griffith, Not. 3:352. Ic. T.
331.1851; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:50. 1890; Pradhan,
Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 567. 1979; Seidenfaden,
Opera Bot. 95:208.1988; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.),
Orch. Sci. & Com. 95. 2001.
1 cm
Devi and Ghatak found it at Thoubal. It is common
in Imphal particularly on trees along Kangla river.
Flowering: April-October.
Habitat: Primary forests, occasionally on exotic trees
at 700 m.
Occurrence: Manipur: Thoubal, Imphal.
Distribution : India, Myanmar, Thailand and China.
Figure 23. Vanda pumila Hook. f. - Flower
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Bor 18456 (K);
Kangla Riverside C. Sathish Kumar 28706 (TBGT!).
Distribution: India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar,
Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, China and Sumatra.
4. Vanda cristata Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 216.1833;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:53.1890; Pradhan, Ind. Orch.
Guide to Iden. Cult. 570. 1979; Chauhan in Pathak et
al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 95. 2001. Trudelia cristata
(Lindl.)Senghas in Die Orchideen 1(19-29):1211. 1988.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Tupul C. Sathish
Kumar 28703 (TBGT!).
This is a new record for Manipur.
5. Vanda liouvillei Finet, Not. Syst. (Paris) 2: 299.
Fig.6. 1913; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot. 95:204. 1988;
Phukan, Orch. Rev. 104(1209): 189. 1998.
7. Vanda stangeana Rchb. f., Bot. Zeit. 14:351. 1858;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 1890:54; Pradhan, Ind. Orch.
Guide to Iden. Cult. 569. 1979; Kataki, Jain & Sastry,
Threat. End. Orch. Northeast Ind. 92.1984; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 95. 2001.
Phukan (1998) reported this species as a new record
for India from Manipur.
Devi and Ghatak found this species at Tengnoupal
at 1390 m.
6. Vanda pumila Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 53.1890;
Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 5: 45. Pl. 68. 1895; King
& Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 216. Pl.
288.1898; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.
570. 1979; Seidenfaden,Opera Bot. 95 :209. 1988.
Trudelia pumila (Hook. f.)Senghas in Die Orchideen
1(19-20):1211. 1988.
Figs. 22c, 23
8. Vanda testacea (Lindl.) Rchb.f., Gard.Chron.
166.1877; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.
567, 637. 1979; Seidenfaden, Opera Bot.95: 208.1988;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 95.
2001. Aerides testacea Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch. 238. 1833.
Vanda parviflora Lindl., Bot. Reg. 30:misc. 45.1844;
Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6:50 (excl. var. albiflora). 1890;
King & Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 215,
Pl.286. 1898.
Flowers 2-4, fragrant, creamy yellow/white; sepals
and petals with pink markings at base; lateral sepals
with pink spotted lines in the half region; lip spurred
with pink or purple markings.
Devi and Ghatak reported this species from
Churachandpur.
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
Vandopsis Pfitzer
An Indo-Malesian genus of five epiphytic species
characterized by short footless column to which the
lip is firmly adnate with geniculately bent lip, more
or less canaliculated, gibbous at base. Only one
species occurs in India which is also found in
Manipur.
Vandopsis undulata (Lindl.)J. J. Sm. in Nat. Tijd. Ned.
Ind. 72:77. 1912. Vanda undulata Lindl., Journ. Linn.
Soc. 3: 42. 1859. Stauropsis undulatus Benth. ex Hook.
f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 27. 1890; King & Pantling, Ann.
Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8:205. Pl. 275.1898; Mukerjee,
Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 21(3): 154. 1953
Mukerjee recorded this species from Nongbi and
Khamsang at 1600-2000 m.
Vanilla Plumier ex Miller
A pantropical genus of about 100 species of climbing
orchids characterized by the winy habit, thick and
fleshy stems with or without leaves and an axillary
fascicle of fairly large flowers of varying colours, lip
always fused halfway with the long column with
different kinds of fleshy plates on the disc. India is
known to have five species. One is reported from
Manipur.
Vanilla parishii Rchb. f., Otia Bot. Hamb. 1:39. 1878;
Ormerod, Oasis Suppl. 2:9. 2001. Vanilla pilifera auct.
non Holtt. :Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 32(2):142,
fig. 88. 1978; Borthakur & Hajra, Bull. Bot. Surv. India
18(1-4): 228. 1979(1976); Seidenfaden & Wood, Orch.
Penins. Mal. Sing. 125 p. p. Fig. 51B. Pl. 5C.1992;
Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 95.
2001.
Figs. 22d, 24
This species was first noted in Manipur by KingdonWard who wrongly believed it to represent V.
planifolia. We got our samples from Khongampatt,
thanks to H.B. Singh. Fresh flowers enabled us a
detailed study in comparison with the type at Kew,
copy of which was sent to us by Ormerod, confirming
that the species was Vanilla parishii Rchb. f.
Climbing herbs. Stems green, fleshy and leafy and
rooting throughout. Leaves simple, alternate, 5.5-10 x
1.8-2.5 cm, many veined, midvein prominent.
Inflorescence axillary, scape deep green 3.5-4 x 0.6 mm,
bracteate; floral bracts ovate oblong, 3 x 4-6 mm, acute
at apex. Flowers 7-9 in number, open successively from
base upwards; ovary + pedicel 3.7-5 cm, white; dorsal
sepal 2.7 x 0.8 cm, obovate, 12-veined, basally white,
otherwise green, margin inwardly folded, obtuse at
apex; lateral sepals 2.6 x 0.9-1 cm, boat shaped, 12veined, colour same in dorsal sepal, hooded at apex;
67
petals 2.7 x 0.7 cm, oblong obtuse, green, midvein of
the petal thickened on dorsal side and ends in a in a
hove like structure just beneath apex, obtuse; lip 2.8
x 2.7 cm, 3-lobed; sidelobes oblong-orbicular, fused
with the column upto its ¾ length, having pink hairs
inside; midlobe oblong, margin wavy, with a tuft of
long pink hairs, truncate at apex; mesochile with 7
batch of flat many lobed, backwardly projected scales;
column white with pink lines on ventral side, 2-2.2
cm long, stigma crescent shaped, slightly winged at
apex with very broad and prominent rostellum;
operculum green, 4 x 3 mm, 3-lobed at apex; pollinia
4 in two pairs. Fruits fleshy, 6-10 cm long.
Flowering & Fruiting: December-April
Habitat: Evergreen forests
Occurrence: Manipur, Khongampatt
Distribution: India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand.
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: Khongampatt C.
Sathish Kumar 28270 (TBGT!).
Yoania Maxim.
A saprophytic genus of two delicate species found in
the Himalayas, Japan and New Zealand characterized
by the aphyllous habit, densely clothed scales and
white flowers on a raceme. Two species occur in India.
Only one species has been reported from Manipur.
Yoania japonica Maxim., Bull. Acad. St. Petersb.
18:68. 1873; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 123. 1890:
Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult. 436. 1979;
Kataki, Jain & Sastry, Threat. End. Orch. Northeast
Ind. 92. 1984; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch.
Sci. & Com. 95. 2001.
Prain’s collectors recorded this species from Manipur
at the crest of Bareil range (s. w. of Japoo) at 7000 ft
and from Kohima, Nagaland.
Zeuxine Lindley
A widespread genus of about 40-50 species of delicate
ground orchids characterized by trailing and nodose
stem with thin leaves and a terminal inflorescence of
white to pale yellow flowers. Fifteen species are
known from India and two species from Manipur.
1a.
Leaves linear, grass like ……..Z. strateumatica
1b.
Leaves not linear or grass like, but obliquely
ovate-lanceolate, acute with a grey band along
midrib …….……......................……. Z. nervosa
1. Zeuxine nervosa (Wallich ex Lindl.) Benth. ex C.
B. Clarke, J. Linn. Soc. 25:73.1889; Hook. f., Fl. Brit.
India6:108. 1890 & Ic. Pl. T. 2174. 1894; King &
68 An Orchid Digest of Manipur
Pantling, Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8: 289. T. 385.
1898; Deb, Bull. Bot. Surv. India 3(2):219.1961;
Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Ident. Cult. 119. 1976;
Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 32(2):79.1978; Chauhan
in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com. 95. 2001.
Etaeria nervosa Lindl., Wall. Cat. 7381. 1832. nom. nud.
Monochilus nervosum Wallich ex Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orch.
487. 1840.
1 cm
5 cm
1 cm
b
d
1 cm
a
e
f
1 cm
1 cm
h
c
1 cm
1 mm
1 cm
j
g
i
Figure 24. Vanilla parishii Rchb. f. - a. Habit; b. Flower, side view; c. Flower, front view; d. Dorsal sepal; e. Petal (back view showing projection of midvein);
f. Lateral sepal; g. Lip; h. A single scale of the brush on centre of lip; i. Column; j. Operculum showing pollinia (after CSK 28270 ).
C. Sathish Kumar & P. C. Suresh Kumar
Specimens Examined: INDIA, Manipur: West ‘Muneypore’
(fide C. B. Clarke 1889); Tupul C. Sathish Kumar 28746
(TBGT!).
2. Zeuxine strateumatica (L.)Schltr., Engl. Bot. Jahrb.
45:394. 1911; Pradhan, Ind. Orch. Guide to Iden. Cult.
1:115. 1976; Seidenfaden, Dansk Bot. Ark. 32(2):79.
1978; Chauhan in Pathak et al. (Ed.), Orch. Sci. & Com.
95. 2001. Orchis strateumatica L., Sp. Pl. 943. 1753.
Pterygodium sulcatum Fl. Ind. 3:452. 1832. Zeuxine
sulcata (Roxb.)Lindl., Gen.. Sp. Orch. 485. 1840; Hook.
f., Fl. Brit. India 6:106. 1890; King & Pantling, Ann.
Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta 8:286. T. 381.1898.
Acknowledgements
We are deeply grateful to Brig. M. V. Gangadharan
and the Indian Army for all the logistic support
extended to our team when we explored Manipur;
Mr H B Singh, formerly Orchid Development Officer
at Khongapatt State Orchidarium for his assistance
in getting many species that we would have
otherwise missed; Hunt Institute for Botanical
Documentation for kindly providing a portrait of
N.L. Bor and permission to use it in this paper; Dr
Hosagowder for providing the Latin translation of
the new taxa. Financial assistance by the Western
Ghats Development Cell and the Ministry of
Environment and Forests, Government of India,
New Delhi under AICOPTAX programme is
thankfully acknowledged.
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Received 12.2.2005
Accepted 15.9.2005