Trends4362 in Biosciences 10(22), Print : ISSN 0974-8431,Trends 4362-4369, in Biosciences 2017 10 (22), 2017

Threats Assessment, Current Distributional Record, Field Status and Therapeutic Uses of Medicinally Important Thou. () from Darjeeling and Kalimpong Districts of West Bengal, India RAJENDRA YONZONE Taxonomy and Ethnobiology Research Laboratory, Cluny Women’s College, P.O. Kalimpong, District Kalimpong, West Bengal email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT they occur throughout the country excepting the drier Present paper deals with threats assessment, current Deccan plateau, Punjab and part of Gujarat (Hedge, 1984). North East India constitutes an Orchid hotspot and show distributional record, field status and therapeutic uses of medicinally important Bulbophyllum Thou. (Orchidaceae) maximum diversity in the Eastern Himalaya (Vanlalruati et from Darjeeling and Kalimpong Districts of West Bengal, al. 2016). Of the total Orchid species found in India nearly India. 70% found in North East India (Gogoi and Yonzone, 2013). It is estimated that over 22,500 species with 779 genera are distributed throughout the world (Mabberly, 2008). There Key words Orchidaceae, Bulbophyllum, Threats are 1331 species belonging to 186 genera (Chowdhery, assessment, Current distributional record, 2009); 1300 species in 184 genera (Singh and Chauhan, Field status, Therapeutic uses, Darjeeling 1999); 1129 species in 184 genera (Karthikeyan, 2000) widely and Kalimpong Districts. distributed throughout India. Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts of West Bengal possesses good resources of Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts are the Orchid species. northernmost hilly districts of West Bengal and it is the The use of Orchids as medicine is restricted as their part of Eastern Himalaya with different physiographic therapeutic knowledge is confine chiefly to few folk healers features. They lie between 27º31’05" and 26º27’10" North and local medicine men (Nongdam, 2014). The medicinal latitude and between 88º53’00" and 87º59’30" East importance of Orchids is known as early as 250-300 BC by longitude. The Northern boundary commences on the West Susruta and Vagbhata in ancient Sanskrit literature. The at Phalut (3600m), the trijunction of the boundaries of Nepal, oldest books Rigveda and the Atharvaveda provide Sikkim and West Bengal. This boundary runs east from inquisitive information about the medicinal value of Phalut along the ridge descending to the Rammam river Orchids. Some of the Orchid species are used in Jeevaniyo and proceeding east of that junction the boundary follows Dashko Mahakashay, Ashtavarga group of medicine and the Teesta upstream until its junction with the Rango Chu. Chyavanprash Linctus and the medicinal usage of Orchids From Phalut the Western boundary Nepal follows the has been brilliantly described in Charak Samhita, Southward ridge until it joins the Mechi river upto the plains. Nighanthus of Bhav Prakash Mishra and Pandit Shaligram On the South lies the district of West Dinajpur intercepted (Ghanaksh and Kaushik, 1999). Their therapeutic values by the Mahananda river and the rest other part of the district have been extensively utilized in the indigenous system of is bounded by Bangladesh and the Jalpaiguri district. There medicine for the treatment of many ailments (Nongdam, are three Sub-Divisions in Darjeeling district viz., Darjeeling, 2014). Orchids are rich in alkaloids and other phytochemical Kurseong (hills) and Siliguri (plain) and three blocks come contents and many of them are effectively used to treat a under Kalimpong district viz., Kalimpong, Algarah and wide range of ailments (Handa, 1986; Lawler, 1984). Some Gorubathan (till May 2017). The altitudinal variations range Orchid species reported to contain alkaloids, triterpenoids, from 130m at Siliguri to as high as 3636m at Sandakphu. flavonoids and stilbenoids. Recently, some important Orchids belong to the family orchidaceae which is phytochemicals like orchinol, hircinol, cypripedin, jibantine, highly evolved among the . They exhibit nidemin and loroglossin are extracted from Orchids (De et incredible diversity in colour, shape, size, structure and al. 2016). Presence of these phytochemicals provides fragrance of flowers and four different life forms viz., antimicrobial, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antiviral subterranean, saprophytic, terrestrial and epiphytic and are activities etc. and some species used as potent inhibitor pretty admired among the professional and amateur Orchid against gram positive and gram negative bacteria and some lovers of the world and are important both botanically and species were found to have strong antioxidative properties commercially (Pathak et al. 2010). They are widely (Singh et al. 2012). Orchid species are also one of the distributed from equator to Arctic Circle and from lowland ingredients in ancient Indian systems of medicine called areas to almost upto snowline regions. In India, the Eastern “Ayurveda”. Some of the phytochemicals like alkaloid, Himalaya is the centre of Orchids, followed by Western anthocyanins, arundinan, bibenzyl, cypripedin, dendrobine, Himalaya and the South Indian hills. The Khasia hills in gigantol, glucoside, glycoside, gymopusin, hircinol, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and the Sikkim and Darjeeling jibantine, kinsenoside, loroglossin, nidemin and orchinol, Himalayas are richest in Orchid flora in India. In India, phenanthrene, phenanthropyran, rotundatin and moscatin, Orchids form 10% of the world Orchid flora with Himalayas stilbenoid, triterpenoid are reported from Orchids (Singh as their natural home (Yonzone and Rai, 2016). In India, and Duggal, 2009). In India and other parts of the world use YONZONE, Bulbophyllum Threats Assessment, Current Distributional Record, Field Status and Therapeutic Uses 4363 many Orchid species in their traditional system of herbal Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5(2): 760. 1890. Phyllorchis purpurea medicines. (D. Don) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 676. 1891. [Fig. 1A, Fig. The generic name Bulbophyllum is derived from the 2A] Greek words bulbo (bulb) and phyllon (leaf). The genus epiphytic, 14-30 cm tall, rhizomatous herb. Bulbophyllum was established in 1822 by Albert Aubert Pseudobulbs 3-6 × 2.8-3.4 cm, globose-ovoid. Leaf solitary, du Petit-Thouars in his Histoire Particuliere des Plantes 11-23 × 3.6-4.9 cm, ovate-elliptic, obtuse, petiolate. Orchidees. It is one of the largest orchid genera comprises Inflorescence lateral from pseudobulb base, decurved, about 2200 taxa, widely distributed in the tropics (Vermeulen, racemes, cylindric, densely many-flowered. Flowers 7-8 mm 2014), Asia-Pacific 1700 species, Madagascar 200 species, long, purplish-brown. Dorsal sepal 4.9-5.8 × 2.5-2.8 mm, New Guinea 600 species (Agrawala et al. 2016), 1000 species oblong-ovate, acute; lateral pair 6.9-7.6 × 3.6-4 mm, oblong- widely distributed in the tropical Americas, Africa, ovate, acute. Petals 2.6-3 × 1-1.2 mm, broadly ovate, aristate. Madagascar, the Mascarene Islands, South East Asia to Lip 3.6-4.6 × 1.8-2.1 mm, simple, yellow blotched with violet. Australia (Pearce and Cribb, 2002). There are 100 species in Specimen examined: India, West Bengal, Kalimpong India (Chowdhery, 1998), 35 in Darjeeling (Yonzone et al. District, Suruk Busty 750 m, 25. 10. 2010, Coll. No. 1507 2012c). (CWC); Altitudinal range: 700 – 1650 m. Flowering and perennial, epiphytic or lithophytic herbs; Fruiting: October – February; Field status: Sparsely found rhizome present or absent, sheathed. Pseudobulbs distant in the regions and found on the tree trunk and branches of or clustered on rhizome. Leaf solitary rarely 2 from Schima wallichii and Ficus hispida. Distribution within pseudobulb apex, thin-textured to coriaceous, erect, Darjeeling Himalaya: Samthar, Godok, Todey, Latpanjar, suberect. Inflorescence lateral, arising from pseudobulb Sittong, Mirik. Geographical distribution: India (Arunachal base, racemose, umbellate, capitate, solitary to many Pradesh, Meghalaya, Sikkim, West Bengal, Utter Pradesh); flowered. Flowers small to large. Sepals subequal, dorsal Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand. sepal free; lateral pair adnate at base to column foot to form Bulbophyllum leopardinum (Wall.) Lindl. Gen. Sp. a mentum. Petals free, smaller than the dorsal sepal. Lip Orchid. Pl.: 48. 1830. Dendrobium leopardinum Wall., Tent. simple to trilobed, sometimes fleshy, mobile, often ciliate or Fl. Nepal. 1: 39, t.28. 1826. Sarcopodium leopardinum (Wall.) hairy, strongly recurved. Column very short. Anther not Lindl., Paxton’s Fl. Gard. 1:155. 1850. Phyllorchis leopardina turned away from the rostellum; pollinia 4. (Wall.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 677. 1891. [Fig. 1B, Fig. 2B] MATERIALS AND METHODS Species etymology: Named after the Leopard like spots on its flowers. The intensive field survey work was started from June 2007 to December 2016 covering all the seasons of the year Plant epiphytic (frequently lithophytic) herb, 11-28 and far-flung villages of Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts cm tall, rhizomatous herb. Pseudobulbs 4-7 × 1.6-2.8 cm, and necessary photographs of Orchid species were clustered, cylindric-obpyriform. Leaf solitary, 8-19 × 3.6-6 collected and documented. The specimens were collected cm, oblong-elliptic, mucronate, coriaceous, petiolate. and properly worked out both in the field and laboratory Inflorescence very short, 1-3-flowered. Flowers 2-2.9 cm and pressed in blotting paper and mounted on standard across, pale yellowish-brown to greenish, spotted with herbarium sheets following conventional techniques (Jain purple. Dorsal sepal 1.8-2.1 × 0.9-1.2 cm, ovate-lanceolate, and Rao, 1977). Herbarium preparation, identification and acute; lateral pair 1.9-2.2 × 0.9-1.5 cm, obliquely ovate, documentation work was done at Taxonomy and acuminate, forming a mentum. Petals 1.1-1.4 × 0.7-0.8 cm, Ethnobiology Research Laboratory, Cluny Women’s ovate, acute. Lip 1.3-1.6 × 0.6-0.8 cm, pale-white suffused College, Kalimpong. Some earlier workers like Bose et al. with scarlet red, fleshy. 1999; Bruhl, 1926; Hara, 1966; Hara, 1971; Hooker, 1888- Specimen examined: India, West Bengal, Kalimpong 1890; King and Pantling, 1898; Ohashi, 1975; Pradhan 1976, District, Kafer forest 1860 m, 05.06.2010, Coll. No. 1217 1979; Pradhan and Pradhan, 1997; Pearce and Cribb, 2002, (CWC); Altitudinal range: 1300 – 2400 m. Flowering and Yonzone et al. 2012a, 2012b, 2012c, 2012d studied the Fruiting: June – November; Field status: Sparsely Orchids of Darjeeling district and medicinal Orchids of the distributed throughout the region (frequently grown on region and their uses are partially studied by workers like lithophytic condition in nature). Distribution within Yonzone et al. 2011, 2012e, 2013; Yonzone, 2015, 2016; Darjeeling Himalaya: Lava, Rimbick, Ramam, Charkhol, Yonzone and Rai, 2016, 2017. However, no attention has yet Rambi forest, Algarah, Neora Valley, Jorebangalow, Takdah. been given on the threats assessment, current distributional Geographical distribution: India (North East India, West records, field status and therapeutic uses of Bulbophyllum Bengal); Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal and Thailand. species of the regions in details. Therefore, aim of this study Bulbophyllum odoratissimum (J.E. Sm.) Lindl. Gen. is to assess the threats, therapeutic uses, current Sp. Orchid. Pl.: 55. 1830. Stelis odoratissima J.E. Sm., Rees, distributional record and field status of four medicinally Cycl. 34: Stelis, no. 12. 1814. Phyllorchis odoratissima (J.E. important Bulbophyllum species in the Darjeeling and Sm.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 677. 1891. Bulbophyllum Kalimpong districts of West Bengal, India. congestum Rolfe, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1912: 131. 1912. Botanical Enumeration [Fig. 1C, Fig. 2C] Bulbophyllum careyanum (Hook.) Spreng. Syst. Veg. Species etymology: Derived from the Latin word odoratus ed. 16(3): 732. 1826. Anisopetalon careyanum Hook., Exot. (scented) and the superlative issimus (the most). Fl. 2: t.149. 1825. Bulbophyllum careyanum var. ochraceum Plant epiphytic (frequently lithophytic) herb, 6-11 cm 4364 Trends in Biosciences 10 (22), 2017 tall, rhizomatous herb. Pseudobulbs 1.8-2.3 × 0.5-0.8 cm, kept overnight and next morning the juice is taken orally to erect, cylindric, smooth to ridged. Leaf solitary, 3.5-5 × 1.4- cure hormonal deficiency (Das et al. 2010). The fresh pulp 1.6 cm, oblong-lanceolate, tip emarginated, petiolate. or juice of whole plant parts of Bulbophyllum leopardinum Inflorescence solitary, basal from pseudobulb, capitate, is used in burns (Subedi 2011; Subedi et al. 2013). Fruits are densely 7 to 15-flowered. Flowers 0.8-1 cm across, white. used to cure diabetes and to treat sunstroke (Jain and Jain, Dorsal sepal 5-6 × 2-2.5 mm, lanceolate, acuminate; lateral 2016). Whole plant of Bulbophyllum odoratissimum is used pair 6-6.9 × 1.8-2.4 mm, lanceolate, acuminate, falcate. Petals to treat tuberculosis and fracture (Subedi, 2011) and further 1.3-1.5 × 0.8-1 mm, spreading, ovate, obtuse. Lip 1.2-1.5 × used to cure chronic inflammation (Subedi et al. 2013). 0.3-0.5 mm, yellow, fleshy. Infusion or decoction of whole plant used to treat Specimen examined: India, West Bengal, Kalimpong tuberculosis, chronic inflammation and fracture in China, District, Tangta forest 1870 m, 08.08.2007, Coll. No. 0083 Vietnam, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, India, Laos, Burma, Thailand (CWC); Altitudinal range: 1000 – 1900 m. Flowering and (Chen et al. 2007). Roots of Bulbophyllum umbellatum Fruiting: July – October; Field status: Rare in the nature believed to increase longivity (Handa, 1986; Bhattacharjee, and becoming threatened because of habitat destruction. 2001). Whole plant parts used to enhance congenity Distribution within Darjeeling Himalaya: Algarah, (Shrestha, 2000; Baral and Kurmi, 2006). The current Nokdara, Dowhill-Kurseong, Takdah, Pattabong, Charkhol. distributional record of Bulbophyllum careyanum is Geographical distribution: India (North East India, Sikkim); Samthar, Todey, Godok, of Kalimpong district, Latpanjar, China, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam. Sittong, Mirik of Kurseong Sub-Division; Mangmaya, Peshok, Nagaray of Darjeeling Sub-Division within Active Principal: phenanthrene derivative 3, 7-dihydroxy- altitudinal range 700 – 1650 m. Distribution of Bulbophyllum 2,4,6-trimethoxyphenanthrene (Singh et al. 2012). leopardinum within the region is Lava, Charkhol, Algarah, Bulbophyllum umbellatum Lindl. Gen. Sp. Orchid. Neora Valley of Kalimpong district; Rimbick, Ramam, Rambi Pl.: 56. 1830. Cirrhopetalum bootanense Griff., Not. Pl. Asiat. forest, Jorebangalow, Takdah of Darjeeling Sub-Division, 3: 296 1851. Bulbophyllum maculosa (Lindl.) Rchb. f., Chimbey, Baghonra, Dawhill of Kurseong Sub-Division Walpers, Ann. Bot. Syst. 6: 243. 1861. B. tibeticum Rolfe, within altitudinal range of 1300 – 2400 m. Distribution of Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 26: 21, t.9. 1913. [Fig. 1D, Bulbophyllum odoratissimum is Algarah, Nokdara, Fig. 2D] Pattabong, Charkhol of Kalimpong district; Dowhill of Species etymology: Derived from the Latin word umbella Kurseong Sub-Division; Takdah of Darjeeling Sub-Division (parasol like) in reference to the inflorescence. within altitudinal range 1000 – 1900 m and another species Plant epiphytic, rhizomatous herb, 10-17 cm tall. Bulbophyllum umbellatum is distributed in Chimney forest Pseudobulbs 2.8-5.1 × 1.4-1.8 cm, ovoid to broadly conical, of Kurseong Sub-Division, Dali and Rambi forest of rugose. Leaf solitary, 10-18.5 × 1.6-2.3 cm, coriaceous, Darjeeling Sub – Division, Damsang gari, Kafer, Lava forests narrowly oblong, obtuse, emarginated, petiolate. of Kalimpong district within altitudinal range of 1000 – Inflorescence 6-11 cm, shorter than leaves, umbel, 2 to 4- 2100 m. Current field status of Bulbophyllum careyanum flowered. Flowers 1-1.6 cm long; yellow-green, pale pink to and B. leopardianum are sparse and B. odoratissimum and yellow-brown. Dorsal sepal 0.8-1.1 × 0.5-0.6 cm, ovate, acute, B. umbellatum are rare and both the rare species becoming depressed; lateral pair 1.2-1.4 × 0.5-0.6 cm, free, ovate- threatened because of habitat destruction in the regions. lanceolate, falcate, subacute, adnate to column foot. Petals Threats Assessment 0.5-0.6 × 0.4-0.5 cm, ovate, obtuse. Lip 0.5-0.6 × 0.4-0.5 mm, Orchid species of Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts simple, green-yellow. of Darjeeling Himalaya is a valuable natural resource. Specimen examined: India, West Bengal, Darjeeling Favourable climatic supports the lavish growth and District, Manaybhanjang 2040 m, 22.03.2010, Coll. No. 1086 proliferation of many orchid species in the regions. (CWC); Altitudinal range: 1000 – 2100 m. Flowering and However, there is some indication of the diminution of orchid Fruiting: March – July; Field status: Rare in the nature species through various means, which deserves immediate and becoming threatened because of habitat destruction in attention for ensuring the conservation status of the region. the regions. Distribution within Darjeeling Himalaya: Some of the key factors which are observed during field Damsanggari, Kafer, Lava, Chimney, Dali-Darjeeling, Rambi survey work and that control the diminution of orchid forest. Geographical distribution: India (Sikkim, West species in the regions. The ever increasing human Bengal, Utter Pradesh); Bhutan, Nepal. population needs space coupled with the expansion of RESULTS AND DISCUSSION cultivable land are normally acquired by clearing forest land. Unsustainable extraction or indiscriminate collection of There are four medicinally important Bulbophyllum orchid species viz., Bulbophyllum careyanum, B. orchid species and sale to the local floral nurseries still leopardinum, B. odoratissimum and B. umbellatum exist in the regions and this act has already reduced the natural population of orchid species of the region. The recorded from the Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts of West Bengal, India. Therapeutic uses of all these species practice of illegal felling of old epiphytic host trees by forest departments and local villagers for firewood, charcoal are mentioned in details. The fresh pulp of pseudobulb of Bulbophyllum careyanum is used in burns. Leaves powder collection and timber harvesting are the major threat to epiphytic species including Bulbophyllum species was seen is used to cause abortion within three months of pregnancy and recovery during childbirth (Subedi, 2011; Subedi et al. throughout the regions. Frequent forest and grassland fires 2013). Crushed pseudobulbs (4-5) are put in 50ml water and in the region cause great loss to the biodiversity and also YONZONE, Bulbophyllum Threats Assessment, Current Distributional Record, Field Status and Therapeutic Uses 4365

Fig. 1. Flowers. A. Bulbophyllum careyanum, B. Bulbophyllum leopardinum, C. Bulbophyllum odoratissimum and D. Bulbophyllum umbellatum 4366 Trends in Biosciences 10 (22), 2017

Fig. 2. Herbarium Specimens, A. Bulbophyllum careyanum, B. Bulbophyllum leopardinum, C. Bulbophyllum odoratissimum and D. Bulbophyllum umbellatum YONZONE, Bulbophyllum Threats Assessment, Current Distributional Record, Field Status and Therapeutic Uses 4367

Fig. 3. A-J. Major threats of Orchid species in the regions 4368 Trends in Biosciences 10 (22), 2017 loss the epiphytic species. common people are ignorant De, L.C., Singh, D.R., Kumar, Raj. and Pathak, Promila. 2016. about the floristic wealth and biodiversity of the region. Description, production technology, and uses of some medicinal Deforestation, rapid urbanization, developmental works, orchids. J. Orchid. Soc. India. 30: 97-101. rapid urbanization, construction and extension of motorable Ghanaksh, A. and P. Kaushik., 1999. Antibacterial effet of Aerides roots, frequent land slides etc. cause the great loss and multiflora Roxb. : A study in vitro. J. Orchid. Soc. India. 13 (1- push to rare, threatened and endangered status of many 2): 65-68. epiphytic orchids including Bulbophyllum species in the Gogoi, Khyanjeet. and Rajendra, Yonzone., 2013. Orchids of the regions (Fig. 3 A-J). Karbi Angling district of Assam, India. The McAllen International Orchid Society Journal. 14 (4): 11-20. Conservation aspect Handa, S.S., 1986. Orchids for drugs and chemicals: 89-99. In Vij, The random felling of host trees and deforestation S.P. (ed.) Biology, Conservation and Culture of Orchids. Affiliated associated with commercial plantations should be stopped East-West Press, New Delhi. immediately. Illegal entry of unauthorized person is prohibit Hara, H., 1966. The Flora of Eastern Himalaya, Tokyo, University into the forests, wild life sanctuaries and national parks. of Tokyo press, Japan. Protection and conservation of natural habitat may only be Hara, H., 1971. The Flora of Eastern Himalaya, Second Report, the prominent way to save the species population in the University of Tokyo press, Japan. regions. Orchid sanctuaries and germplasm conservation Hedge, S.N., 1984. Orchids of Arunachal Pradesh. Forest centre should be established. Micropropagation of rare, Department, Arunachal Pradesh, Itanagar. threatened and endangered species should emphasized to Hooker, J.D., 1888-1890. The Flora of British India. Vol. 5 & 6. L. conserve and replantation in the preferable habitat in nature Reeve & Co. London. and transfer of species from one orchid species rich host Jain, S.K. and R.R. Rao., 1977. Field and Herbarium Methods. trees to other surrounding small host trees should be Today and Tomorrow´s Printers and Publishers. New Delhi, encouraged for massive proliferation and conservation in India. habitat. Village level awareness programme in the form of Jain, V. and S.K. Jain, 2016. Compendium of Indian Folk Medicine workshops, seminars, trainings, distribution of booklets, and Ethnobotany. Deep Publications, New Delhi, India palm plates, publicity, group discussion etc. are necessary Karthikeyan, S. 2000. A statical analysis of flowering plants of to educate the people in the villages. Therefore, grass root India. In: Flora of India, Introductory Volume II (eds. N.P. Singh, P.K. Singh, P.K. Hajra, and B.D. Sharma) pp. 201-217. level awareness is utmost important to save valuable orchid Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta, India. species in the regions. An immediate measure has to be taken for conservation of these species before they vanish, King, G. and R. Pantling., 1898. The Orchids of the Sikkim-Himalaya. In Annals of the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta 8, India. especially for those species which are vulnerable, rare, threatened and endangered. It is high time now that Lawler, L.J., 1984. Ethnobotany of the Orchidaeae. In: Orchid Biology, Reviews and Perspectives. Vol. III (ed. J. Arditti) Cornell conservation measure must be implemented before these Univ. Press, Ithaca, New York. pp. 27-149. species are vanished forever from the nature. Therefore, Mabberley, D.J., 2008. 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Received on 29-05-2017 Accepted on 01-06-2017