Occurrence of Phalaenopsis cornu cervi (Orchidaceae) in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

2 Pages·1991·1.2 MB·

by  P Lakshminarasimhan

:
MISCELLANEOUSNOTES 469
unexplained. 1887;Prain,Beng.P1.2 :931. 1903;Parkinson,For.FI.
The habitat of G. hirsutum below Pradhanpat Andaman 235, 1921-22; Kanjilal et al. FI. Assam 4:
Fallsin Sambalpurdistrictisalsowithinthedeepforest 184. 1940; Airy Shaw in Kew Bull. 26 : 275. 1972.
and issituated almostonthe same latitude (±21°30’N) Bradleia hirsuta Roxb., FI. Ind. 3: 699. 1832.
m
as are the places ofits distribution in south-east Asia. Small tree up to 5 high with watery latex;
The place also remains humid throughout the year. branches densely pubescent. Leaves simple, alternate;
The present record ofthe species from Orissa is petiole ± 0.3 cm long, densely hairy; lamina broadly
probably another evidence of its discontinuous ovateorelliptic,± 17.0x7.5cm,entire,acuminate,base
distribution.Thespeciesstartsfloweringatanearlyage rounded or slightly cordate, oblique, rusty-tomentose
and produces healthy seeds. Probably, the species beneath, often drying purplish-brown beneath, lateral
migrated to Malabar through the hilly regions ofWest nerves ± 10 pairs. Inflorescence usually very shortly
Bengal, Bihar, Orissa andMadhyaPradesh.Ithas now pedunculate and supra-auxiliary, few-flowered. Petals
been eliminated from the path of its migration, most 6 in both sexes, externally hirsute, glabrous within;
probablyduetotheprevailingdry climateofthisregion anthers 6 in male flowers, connective short; ovary
except in some very isolated pockets. globose, hairy; style conical. Capsule subglobose,
However, the present report is not only a new obscurely lobed, ends slightly depressed, ± 0.5 cm
record for Orissabut also for the entire Gangeticplains across, pubescent with persistent style and perianth.
and the broad central plateau ofIndia. Flowers and fruits: September to April
C. hirsutum may be confused in the field with G. Specimen cited: Pradhanpat, Deogarh, 23 January
zeylanicumwhich is available almost in all the tropical 1989, Das etPanda 1350 (CAL)
and subtropical regions of India and can be easily
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
distinguished by the following key:
Lamina tomentose beneath; capsule pubescent We thank the Director, Botanical Survey ofIndia
G. hirsutum . for access to its herbarium (CAL) and library and also
Lamina glabrous beneath; capsules glabrous for providing a research fellowship to one ofus (S.P.).
G. zeylanicum. We are also thankful to Prof. S. Chanda and Dr T.
Being a rare and little known plant in the Indian Chakraborty for going through the manuscript and for
subcontinent, a briefdescription is givenbelowtohelp their suggestions.
further exploration in the adjoining regions (Fig. 1):
Glocliidion hirsutum (Roxb.) Voigt, Hort.
SAURIS PANDA
Suburb. Calcutta 153. 1845;Muell.-Arg. inLinnaea 32
DAS
: 61. 1863; Hook. f. inHook, f., FI. Brit. India 5:311. October 22, 1990 A.P.
References
Airy Shaw, H.K. (1972): The Euphorbiaceae of Siam. Kew Kanjilal U.N., Kanjilal, P.C., De, R.N. & Das, A (1940):
Bull.26:275. FloraofAssam4 184. Calcutta.
Hooker,J.D.(1887):ThefloraofBritishIndia5:311.London. Prain,D.(1903):BengalPlants2:931.Calcutta.
THE OCCURRENCE OF PHALAENOPSIS CORNU-CERVI
39.
(ORCHIDACEAE) IN ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS
&
Phalaenopsis cornu-cervi (Breda) Bl. Reichb. Burma. Vasudeva Rao (1986) does not include this
f. was described by Breda under the genusPolychilos. species in his list. Karthikeyan et al. (1989) gave the
However, Blume and Reichenbach (1860) recognised distribution ofthisspecies inIndia aseasternHimalaya
that it is better placed underPhalaenopsis Bl. and north-east India.
Kurz (1876) reported this species as occurring in The plant has not been collected again in
the tropical forests of Kamorta island. Sweet (1980) Andaman and Nicobar islands since its reportby Kurz
gave the world distribution ofthis species as Sarawak, in 1876 from Nicobar island. It is to be noted that
Borneo, Java, Sumatra, Thailand, Malaysia, India Nicobar group of islands have more species common
based on Kurz’s collection from Nicobar Island and with Indonesia in the south and Malaysia in the east.
470 JOURNAL, BOMBAYNATURALHIST. SOCIETY, Vol. 88
Recentlythisspecieshasbeen collectedfromEntrance 11.0-27.5 cm long; peduncle terete with 1 or 2 small
Island (North Andamans) thus extending its cauline sheaths; rachis simple, laterally compressed,
distribution in Andaman islands; many species are commonly many-flowered; bracts alternate,
common to north-east India, Burma and Thailand. distichous, ovate-cucullate. Fruits c. 4.0 x 0.4 cm,
Phalaenopsis cornu-cervi can be easily linear, fruiting pedicel c. 0.5 cm long.
recognised by the inflorescence with its terete,basally Illustration: JJ. Sm., Orch. Java. Fig. - Atlas pt. 5,
&
tapering peduncle and its laterally compressed, fig. 415. 1912; Seidenfaden Smitinand, Orch.
A &
flexuous, complanate-alate rachis. short account of Thailand 4: fig. 403. 1963 Orch. Digest 36: 168.
&
the species is presented here for easy identification. 1972; Katoh Futakuchi, Orchids in Colour pi. 114,
&
Phalaenopsiscornu-cervi(Breda)Bl. Reichb. fig. 4. 1974.
f. inHamb. Gartenz. 16: 116. 1860; Kurz in J. As. Soc. Specimen examined: INDIA : North Andamans,
Beng. 45(3): 156. 1876; Hook, f., FI. Brit. India 6: 29. Entrance Island, 8 November 1990, P.
1890; C.E. Fischer in Rec. Bot. Surv. India 12: 141. Lakshminarasimhan andL.N. Ray 15199 (PBL).
&
1938; SweetinAmer. Orch.Soc.Bull. 38: 512. 1969 Ecology: Rare in the tropical inland forests.
Genus Phalaenopsis 55. 1980; Karthik. et al. FI. Ind. We are thankful to Dr B.D. Sharma, Director,
,
Enum. Monocot. 163. 1989. Polychilos cornu-cervi Botanical Survey ofIndia, for facilities and to Dr J.L.
& &
Breda in Kuhl Van Hasselt, Gen. Sp. Orchid. 1. 1. Ellis, Deputy Director, Botanical Survey of India,
Epiphytic; roots profusely produced from Andaman and Nicobar Circle, Port Blair, for
rhizome-like stem, fleshy, flexuous, glabrous; stem encouragement.
short,completelyenclosedbyimbricatingleaf-sheaths.
LAKSHMINARASIMHAN
Leaves 2-4, 9-20 x 3.0-5.5 cm, fleshy, oblong-ligulate P.
RAY
to oblong-oblanceolate, obtuse. Inflorescences 1- 2, January 30, 1991 L.N.
References
Karthikeyan, S., Jain, S.K., Nayar, M.R & Sanjappa, M. Sweet, H.R. (1980): The Genus Phalaenopsis. The Orchid
(1989): Florae indicae enumeratio Monocotyledonae. Digest Inc.,U.S.A
:
A
BotanicalSurveyofIndia,Calcutta. Vasudeva Rao, M.K. (1986): preliminary report on the
A
Kurz, S. (1876): sketch of the vegetation of the Nicobar Angiosperms of Andaman-Nicobar Islands. J. Econ.
Islands.J.As.Soc.Beng.45(3):105-164. Tax.Bot.8(1):107-184.
INFESTATION OF PARROTIOPSIS JACQEMONTIANA BY LEUCOMA SERICEA
40.
(LYMANTRIIDAE) IN DACHIGAM NATIONAL PARK, KASHMIR
During a four month stay in Kashmir in 1989, entomologysectionofAligarhMuslimUniversity.The
cateripillars of Leucoma sericea (Lepidoptera: caterpillar is a voracious feeder on leaves and the
Lymantriidae) were observed infesting Parrotiopsis infestation reaches its peak in July, when most of the
jacquemontiana. This is a perennial plant occuring on infestedslopeslookbrownasalmostallleavesareeaten
the slopes ofDachigamNationalParkand areasaround up.
it. This plant is of vilal importance for the
Inside the park boundary this plant is more conservation and management ofthe park. It provides
abundant on the south and south-west facing slopes, excellent cover for the rare hangul Cervus hanglu and
besides covering a large chunk ofthe main Dachigam to various other fauna ofthe National Park.
nalla.
The caterpillar is greyish yellow and the moth is
white in colour; the latter was identified in the February 21, 1990 SALIM JAVED