Bioscience Discovery 3(2): 155-159, June 2012 ISSN: 2229-3469 (Print)

ECOLOGICAL STATUS, DIVERSITY RESOURCES AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE LITTLE KNOWN TAINIA BLUME () IN OF NORTH EAST

Khyanjeet Gogoi¹, Raju Das² and Rajendra Yonzone³

¹Daisa Bordoloi Nagar, Talap, - 786156, Assam, India ²Nature’s Foster, P. Box 41, Shastri Road, P.O. , 783380, Assam, India ³Dept. of Botany, St. Joseph's College, North Point - 734104, District Darjeeling, W.B., India ¹ [email protected]

ABSTRACT Among the Orchid flora of Assam, four species of terrestrial Orchid Tainia recorded viz., T. angustifolia, T. latifolia, T. minor and T. wrayana in an intensive field survey during 1996-2010. The present paper deals Tainia species diversity and distribution in Assam of North East India. This attempt is the first step to correct taxonomic identification to workout currently accepted botanical names with present ecological status, date of collection, habitat, altitudinal ranges, phenology and local and general distribution of Tainia species in the regions.

Key Words: Tainia Orchid Species, diversity resources, distribution, present status, Assam.

INTRODUCTION The Indian state, Assam is the gateway of MATERIALS AND METHOD the North East region, bears a separate identity The intensive field survey works were phytogeographically and represents a number of carried out during 2006 - 2011 covering all the different types of communities. Its unique seasons of the year in all parts of Assam including ecosystem favors the luxuriant growth of floral nurseries, floral farms and forest areas. considered a Nature’s reservoir of plants resources- Collected Orchid specimens along with unparalleled compared to any place in the world Thrixspermum species were made into standard with regards to its richness of floristic composition. mounted herbarium sheets following the Almost all varieties of plants relating to different procedure of Jain and Roa, 1977. The authors have climatic conditions are found in the state where done photographs and sketch the available Orchid Orchids are a major interesting component of species from the region. The relevant data from the vegetation (Bhagabati et al., 2006). Assam Orchids field notebooks were then transferred to the labels show all the types of habits and growth forms as of the herbarium sheets and computer. Normally, are found in orchidaceous plants. Assam is the 2-3 specimens of each species in flowering or second largest state of North-East India and is a rich fruiting stage were collected and life form storehouse of Indian Orchid species. The forests of photographs were prepared. The specimens were Assam possess a large number of beautiful identified, described and nomenclature checked important Orchids (Gogoi et al., 2009). The total with the help of the literatures of Hooker, 1890; number of Orchid species may be around 193 King and Pantling, 1898; Seidenfaden, 1962; Deva, under 71 genera out of which 27 are endemics. 1968; Pradhan, 1979; Pearce and Cribb, 2002; Some Orchids are associated with the culture of Mishra, 2007; Lucksom, 2007 Chowdhery, 1998; from past. There is a tradition of and specimens authentication done in herbarium of using Orchids by different tribes of Assam in the department of Botany University and BSI culture (, 2001). Shillong (Assam herbarium). Finally, all the Voucher The genus Tainia was established in 1825 specimens have been deposited at the Botany by C.L. Blume in his Bijdragen tot det Flora van department herbarium of Guwahati University. All Nederlandsch Indie. The genus comprises 14 the species were arranged systematically with species distributed in India, , , , botanical names, habitat, local distribution and Thailand, , the Malay Archipelago to flowering month. For ecological status, plot of and Bougainville, about 9 species in India, 5mx5m quadrates for terrestrial species was laid 3 in Assam. down diagonally in the habitat rich field. http://www. biosciencediscovery.com 155 ISSN: 2231-024X (Online)

Gogoi et al.,

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Ania angustifolia Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl.: 129. During recent field studies in the different 1831. places of Assam, 4 species of Tainia were recorded. Ascotainia angustifolia (Lindl.) Schltr., Repert. Spec. Out of three T. angustifolia found to be threatened Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 4: 246. 1919. and new report for Assam and India, and other Tainia sutepensis (Rolfe ex Downie) Seidenf. & species viz., T. latifolia, T. minor and T. wrayana are Smitinand, Orchid Thailand, IV (2): 739. 1964. found in rare status throughout the Assam. It is Terrestrial; pseudobulbs ovoid, to 2-3 cm, covered observed that large scale destruction of forests in with sheaths; petiole 15-30 cm, slender, articulate the past few decades has been resulted in a drastic near middle, base with 2 tubular sheaths; leaf depletion of Orchid species diversity in Assam. blade oblong or narrowly elliptic, 25-30 ×3-7 cm, Since deforestation has severely affected the apex shortly acuminate; inflorescence erect; resources of Orchids, it is there for peduncle 15-30 cm, with 3 or 4 tubular sheaths desirable to conserve the precious Orchid flora of below; rachis 4-10 cm, laxly few flowered; flowers this region through ex-situ as well as in-situ not opening widely, 3-3.5 cm across, yellowish conservation methods. The whole Orchidaceous green; similar, oblong, 2×0.5 cm, acute; family is in threat because of the continuous lateral sepals adnate to column base; elliptic, degradation of natural habitat by multifarious 1.8×0.5 cm, acute; lip oblong, 1.7 cm, 3-lobed; anthropogenic activities, frequent landslides, top lateral lobes erect, embracing column, triangular- layer soil erosion, overgrazing, developmental lanceolate, 1 mm wide, acuminate; mid-lobe nearly schemes, the continuous extension of agricultural oblate, 0.7 cm wide, rounded; disk with 5 lamellae lands, accumulation of pesticide residues etc. To extending to midlobe. conserve the Orchid species in natural habitat, it is Voucher specimen: Gogoi et al., 0707, Assam; necessary to conserve their habitats. Habitat: Growing lithophyte on a small rock humid The Herb Tainia is terrestrial, glabrous. evergreen forest and terrestrial in open deciduous Rhizome with persistent or decaying tubular scales; forest on humus rich soil at elevation of 1000m; roots not branched, villous, with root hairs. Pseudo Flowering: July- September; Present ecological bulb erect, rarely prostrate, with 1 or few status: Threatened. Local distribution within Assam: internodes. Leaf 1 per pseudobulb, deciduous, Karbi- Anglong; General distribution: India (Assam), articulate, petiolate or not, petiole not sheathing, China, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. [Fig: 1] convolute, plicate or not, glabrous; blade elliptic to ovate, base decurrent along petiole, margin Tainia latifolia (Lindl.) Rchb. f., Bonplandia straight, undulate to crenulate. Inflorescence an (Hannover) 5: 54. 1857; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India, 5: erect raceme arising heteranthous on a leafless 820, 1890; King & Pantl. in Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. shoot or lateral from base of pseudobulb, often Calcutta, 8: 103, t. 142. 1898; Kumar et. Monilal, alternating with fertile shoots; peduncle with few Cat. Ind. Orch., 85, 1994; Chowdhery, Orch. Fl. internodes; scales tubular; floral bracts persistent. Arunachal Prad., 657, 1998; Chowdhery & Pal, Flowers resupinate, open simultaneously. Sepals Orch. Arunachal Prad., 139, 1997. and petals ovate, elliptic, or obovate to linear, Ania latifolia Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl.: 129. 1831. entire; lateral sepals decurrent on column foot Mitopetalum latifolium (Lindl.) Bl., Mus. Bot. 2: 185. when present. Lip immobile, entire or 3-lobed, with 1856. or without spur, saccate; Column straight, with Tainia hastata (Lindl.) Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 821. narrow seams that continue onto column foot 1890. when present; column foot absent or Terrestrial, Pseudobulbs close, cylindric-ovoid, ca. 7 inconspicuous. Capsule ellipsoid. cm, base 1-1.5 cm in diam., usually covered with membranous sheaths; leaf elliptic or elliptic- ENUMERATION lanceolate, plicate, 18-32×5-7 cm, papery, Tainia angustifolia (Lindl.) Benth. & Hook. f., Gen. acuminate. Pl. 3: 515. 1883; Seidenf. & Smitinand, Orchid Inflorescence erect; peduncle 20–80 cm, with 3 Thailand, IV (2): 739. 1964. tubular sheaths 5–8 cm; laxly many flowered;

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Bioscience Discovery 3(2): 155-159, June 2012 ISSN: 2229-3469 (Print)

Flowers fragrant; pedicel, ovary, sepals, and petals Tainia wrayana (Hook. f.) J.J. Smith in Bull. Jard. dark brown, lip yellow, column yellow, anther cap Bot. Buitenz. 2, 8: 6. 1912; Pradhan, Indian Orchid- with 2 purplish red appendages; Dorsal II, 242, 1979; Chowdhery, Orch. Fl. Arunachal Prad., narrowly oblong, 11-13 ×1.7-2 mm, 3-veined, 661, 1998. obtuse; lateral sepals narrowly falcate-oblong, ca. Ipsea wrayana Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 812. 1890. 12×2 mm, base adnate to column foot forming a Mischobulbum wrayanum (Hook. f.) Rolfe, Orchid short mentum. Petals similar to lateral sepals, 12- Rev. 20: 127. 1912; Sathish Kumar & Manilal in Kew 13×2-3 mm, 3-veined, subacute; lip elliptic to ovate, Bull. 42:942. 1987. Mishra, Orch. India, 307, 2007. 8-12×4-9 mm, normally 3-lobed; lateral lobes erect, Nephelaphyllum grandiflorum Hook. f., Fl. Brit. ovate-triangular, 5-7 mm wide when flattened, India 6: 192. 1890. acute; mid-lobe suborbicular or obovate; Column Tainia atropurpurea Ridl., J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 32: 315 arcuate, 7 mm, foot ca. 2 mm. (1896). Voucher specimen: Gogoi et al., 0350, Assam; Mischobulbum grandiflorum (Hook. f.) Schltr., Habitat: Terrestrial in dense humid evergreen Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1: 98. 1911. forest; Flowering: March- May; Present ecological Tainia sumatrana J.J. Sm., Bull. Jard. Bot. status: Rare; Local distribution within Assam: Buitenzorg, III, 5: 24. 1922. and ; General Tainia grandiflora (Hook. f.) Gagnep., Bull. Mus. distribution: N.E. India, Bangladesh, China, , Natl. Hist. Nat., II, 4: 706. 1932. Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar. [Fig: 2] Terrestrial, 10-15 cm long including leaves; pseudobulbs narrowly fusiform, 8-10 cm long, one Tainia minor Hook. f. Fl. Brit. India, 5: 821. 1890; leaved, with membranous sheaths; leaves ovate- King & Pantl. in Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calcutta, 8: elliptic, 10-15x7-9 cm, cordate at base, 7-9 nerved, 102, t. 141. 1898; Chowdhery, Orch. Fl. Arunachal petioles stout, terete; inflorescence 3-10 flowered, Prad., 661, 1998; Mishra, Orch. India, 317, 2007. pubescent, longer than leaves; flowers geeenish Terrestrial, Pseudobulbs close or slightly spaced, flushed with red, 3 cm across; sepals and petals cylindric-ovoid, 2.5-6.5×0.3-0.6 cm, covered with unequal; dorsal epal lanceolate; lateral falcate; membranous tubular sheaths. Leaf oblong, 18– petals broader than the dorsal sepal; lip white, 20×5-5.5 cm, 3-veined, base truncate or spotted pink, subpandutiform, 3 lobed; side lobes suborbicular, apex acute. Inflorescence erect, much rounded, erect; mid lobe triangular, deflexed; disc longer than leaves, laxly few flowered; Flowers with 2 lateral, undulate lamellae; mentum conical; suberect; sepals and petals pale purplish brown column winged; pollinia 8. with deep purple spots, lateral lobes of lip white, Voucher specimen: Gogoi et al., 0481, Assam; tinged with pale purplish brown, mid-lobe white, Habitat: Terrestrial in dense humid evergreen anther cap green; Dorsal sepal narrowly oblong, ca. forest; Flowering: June- July; Present ecological 15×2 mm, 3-veined, slightly obtuse; lateral sepals status: Rare; Local distribution within Assam: narrowly falcate-oblong, ca. 15×2 mm, base adnate Dibrugarh (Joypur R. F.) district; General to column foot forming a short mentum. Petals distribution: N.E. India, Thailand, Malaysia to narrowly falcate-oblong, ca. 15×2.5 mm, 3-veined, Sumatra [Fig: 4]. acute; lip elliptic in outline, ca. 1.2 cm, 3-lobed; lateral lobes erect, narrowly triangular, ca.7 mm CONCLUSION wide when flattened, acute; mid-lobe suborbicular, The genus Tainia is a terrestrial genus, all the ca. 5 mm wide, apex rounded and emarginate; species grow well in humus rich soil and shady Column 7 mm; foot 1 mm. places. The undisturbed habitat rich forest is ideal Voucher specimen: Gogoi et al., 0488, Assam; for its lavish growth and development. The genus Habitat: Terrestrial in dense humid evergreen not only ecologically important but due to their forest; Flowering: June- August; Present ecological small beautiful flowers it also floricultural status: Rare; Local distribution within Assam: important too. But the destruction of forests causes Dibrugarh and Tinsukia district; General greater harm in the natural population of this distribution: China, N.E. India, Myanmar. [Fig: 3] botanically less known beautiful Orchid Tainia in the Assam.

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LITERATURE CITED

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