Rare orchid species found in U’khand’s Chopta Valley

DEHRADUN: An extremely rare and terrestrial orchid species – Cymbidium lancifolium – was discovered last July in the Chopta valley (Chamoli district) of the Western Himalayan region of Uttarakhand. The research wing staff of Uttarakhand’s forest department found it while conducting a ‘plant exploration survey’ in and around the Chopta Valley (at 1761 metres).
The first such discovery has been published in the prestigious journal, ‘The Indian Forester, Volume 149’. The Botanical Survey of India confirmed it as a discovery which reiterates the rich biodiversity of Chopta valley. “The discovery of Cymbidium lancifolium in Chopta valley highlights the rich biodiversity of Uttarakhand and the importance of conservation efforts to protect these rare and beautiful species,” said Manoj Singh and Jyoti Prakash Joshi, junior research fellows of the research wing.
Previously, this species was only reported in north-eastern regions of India and Bhutan as per SK Singh, joint director, Botanical Survey of India, Dehradun, who assisted in identification of the species. Cymbidium orchids are one of the most popular orchid species cultivated on a large scale worldwide. They are highly valued in horticulture and are commonly sold as cut flowers and potted plants on a commercial scale due to their long-lasting property, wide range of colours and elegant appearance, making them a favourite choice for both indoor and outdoor decoration.
“This is the 4th such achievement of discovering floral species from Western Himalaya/India by the research wing of the Uttarakhand forest department in recent years,” said Sanjiv Chaturvedi, chief conservator of forests (research wing). According to research wing authorities, their teams found Liparis pygmaea during the Saptkund trek in 2020. This orchid species was reported after 124 years in India and the finding was published in the prestigious French journal 'Richardiana'.
Cephalanthera erecta var. oblanceolata was recorded from the Mandal valley of Chamoli district in 2021. This was a new record for the flora of India, and the finding was published in 'Nelumbo'. Another rare carnivorous plant Utricularia furcellata from the western Himalayas was documented in 2022 and finding was published in the prestigious ‘Journal of Japanese Botany’.