Endemic orchids of India : A Checklist
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36808/if/2026/v152i2/171066Keywords:
Conservation prioritization, Orchid restoration, Phenology.Abstract
India harbours exceptional orchid endemism. Authors compiled and analysed a curated dataset of about 276 endemic orchid taxa from India. Epiphytes dominates rediversity(59.8%), followed by terrestrial orchids (35.1%) and myco-heterotrophs (4.7%). Species richness is concentrated in the Northeast and Western Ghats, with Kerala, Northwest India, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka leading the state-level counts. The authors highlighted these patterns within a conservation framework that priorities in gold-growth canopy and host-tree networks in humid forests, microhabitat refugia across elevational gradients, ex situ backup for microrange, myco-heterotrophic taxa and community-led stewardship in humandominated landscapes. The present study provides a reproducible baseline, visuals, and state-level targets to inform policy and restoration.
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