American-Eurasian J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 12 (4): 469-471, 2012 ISSN 1818-6769 © IDOSI Publications, 2012

Orchids of Talakona Sacred Grove, Andhra Pradesh,

11A. Miria, Anisa Basheer Khan and 2 B. Ravi Prasad Rao

1Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry-605 014, India 2Department of Botany, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh-515003, India

Abstract: Talakona, a virgin sacred grove tropical forest located in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, harbors a good number of rare orchids. Out of thirteen species recorded, 62% were terrestrials, rest 23% occupied by Epiphytes and 15% by Lithophytes. The present study shows that the thirteen species are additional to Habenaria roxburgii, Vanda spathulata, densiflorum which were previously reported by Savithramma in 2005 from Talakona forest. The most common species were Vanda testacea, Geodorum densiflorum, Habenaria roxburgii, Eulophia graminea.

Key words: Orchids Talakona

INTRODUCTION no study available on the orchids of Talakona except Savithramma [11]. Talakona harbors good diversity and Orchids come under the family and are endemism. These hills are listed under 11th Hot Spots of monocotyledonous and known for its floral Indian flora and this forest area is a part of one of the morphology, co evolution with other life forms and for its micro Hot Spots of endemism [7, 11]. Hence, the present floral and morphological beauty. All talks about orchids work on Talakona sacred grove has immense significance are because they are the top favourite ornamental flower as the study area is part of one of the endemic centres worldwide and also for its medicinal and horticultural -Kadapa hills and registered with heavy biotic uses. They are characterized by distinct pollination interference. mechanism, association with unique fungal partners (Mycorrhizae) and microscopic seeds. Orchidaceae MATERIALS AND METHODS includes about 788 genera [5] and 24,500 species [1] and is the second largest family of flowering plants in the Study Site: The study was conducted in Talakona sacred world. In India orchids are represented by 1,129 species grove forest which extends over a 50 ha area and is a part and 184 genera and show maximum diversity in the of the endemic centre-Tirupati-Kadapa hills located in Eastern Himalaya, including the North-Eastern region, of Andhra Pradesh state, India. Western Ghats, eastern Himalaya and eastern part of Western Himalaya (Kumaon Himalaya) [14]. Misra [16] Topography and Soils: The study area is a hilly terrain listed 1,331 taxa from the current political boundry of with an altitude range of 400-900m a.m.s.l. The study area India. consists of quartzite rock and mostly sandy black soils. Orchids in Andhra Pradesh have not been well The pH is slightly acidic. The colour of forest soil in the documented. Pullaiah [9] reported 33 genera belonging to surface horizons varies from black to dark brown and the 66 species to be occurring in the state of Andhra pradesh. surface soil generally has numerous fine roots of plants, Reddy [12] reported 190 orchids from the state of Andhra which may penetrate up to 20-30cm depth. Silt soil is Pradesh. Jonathan and Raju [8] studied the terrestrial and present in lower elevations and clayey-loam in higher epiphytic orchids of Eastern Ghats. Reddy [13] published elevation (above 600m MSL). an article on ethnobotany of orchids of Eastern Ghats. Madavachetty [6] published the flora of Chittoor district, Climate: In the study area, the average monthly minimum Andhra Pradesh and documented significant temperature varies from 18 °C to 22.7 °C, the least being in resources encountered in Talakona sacred grove. There is January; and the average monthly maximum temperature

Corresponding Author: Anisa Basheer Khan, Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry-605 014, India. 469 Am-Euras. J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 12 (4): 469-471, 2012

varies from 33.4 °C to 36.2 °C, with the highest in May. List of Species in Talakona The average minimum and maximum relative humidity is Genus: Bulbophyllum Thouars 48% and 79%, respectively. The annual rainfall varies between 569.4 and 1230.8mm, bulk of it received during 1. Bulbophyllum kaitiense Rchb.f. [Lithophytic]. June-September. Basionym: Cirrhopetalum nilgherrense Wight. Genus: Dendrobium Sw. Data Collection: The vegetation of the grove represents moist deciduous vegetation with peripheral scrub. 2. Dendrobium herbaceum Lindl., [Epiphytic]. The grove under study was explored for a period of Basionym: Callista herbacea (Lindl.) Kuntze. 12 months during 2008-09. Twenty four exploration Genus: Eulophia R. Br. ex Lindl.-wild coco trips were conducted. Barring common species, all other orchid species encountered in the grove areas were 3. Eulophia graminea Lindl., [Terrestrial]. collected either at flowering or fruiting stage. Every Basionym: Graphorkis graminea (Lindl.) Kuntze. attempt has been made to study the habit, habitat, colour of the flower, flowering and fruiting seasons and 4. Eulophia spectabilis (Dennst.) Suresh [Terrestrial]. frequency of distribution of the species. The specimens Basionym: Wolfia spectabilis Dennst. were collected in well-tied thick polythene bags. Genus: Geodorum Jacks. Herbarium for the collected specimens are deposited in Sri Krishnadevaraya University herbarium. Every specimen 5. Geodorum densiflorum (Lam.) Schltr., [Terrestrial]. was carefully studied by dissecting the floral parts of Basionym: Limodorum densiflorum Lam. duplicate specimens under a binocular microscope. Genus: R. Br. Provisional identification was made following ‘Flora of the Presidency of Madras’ [2] and other regional and local 6. Goodyera procera (Ker Gawl.) Hook., [Lithophytic]. floras [2, 3, 4, 6, 15] following Benthem and Hooker Basionym: Neottia procera Ker Gawl. classification. The identifications were further confirmed Genus: Habenaria Willd. after a critical perusal of monographs and other allied material and matching with the authenticated specimens 7. Habenaria plantaginea, Lindl. [Terrestrial]. housed in Sri Krishnadevaraya University herbarium Basionym: Plantaginorchis plantaginea (Lindl.) Szlach. (SKU), Anantapur and Madras herbarium (MH), Coimbatore. 8. Habenaria roxburghii, Nicolson. [Terrestrial]. Basionym: Orchis roxburghii Pers. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 9. Habenaria virens, A.Rich. & Galeotti. [Terrestrial]. In the study 8 Terrestrials, 3 Epiphytes and 2 Basionym: Habenaria barbata Wight ex Hook.f. Lithophytes were recorded. Dominance of Terrestrials can Genus: Liparis Rich. be because of the deciduous type of forest, Rainfall, elevation, canopy etc… Vanda spathulata earlier reported 10. Liparis deflexa Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 697 (1890). by Savithramma [11] was not found. All orchid species are [Terrestrial]. protected for the purpose of international commerce under Basionym: Leptorkis deflexa (Hook.f.) Kuntze. CITES (Convention on the international trade in Genus: Malaxis Sol. ex Sw. endangered species of wild flora and fauna) as potentially threatened and endangered in their natural habitat 11. Malaxis rheedii, Sw. [Terrestrial] (www.cites.org) [11]. In Talakona Heavy anthropogenic Basionym: Malaxis versicolor (Lindl.) Abeywick. effects are seen during the Shiva temple festivals and also Genus: Vanda W. Jones ex R. Br. due to collection of forest products, illegal collection of endemics like Pterocarpus santalinus L.f. (Red sanders) 12. Vanda tessellata (Roxb.) Hook. ex G.Don [Epiphytic]. are seen. Orchids are mainly collected for medicinal Basionym: Epidendrum tessellatum Roxb. purposes by locals and Tribes. Huge sacred groves like Talakona can be best conserved through community 13. Vanda testacea (Lindl.) Rchb.f., [Epiphytic]. based management. Basionym: Aerides testacea Lindl.

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