TAXONOMIC REVISION OF THE GENUS Calanthe R. Br. (ORCHIDACEAE) IN NEPAL
Date
2023-08-14
Authors
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Publisher
Amrit Campus
Abstract
Calanthe is the terrestrial orchid with a distinguishing character of a plicate, linear to
broad leaves, 8 pollinia in 2 groups, and the genus mostly occurs in moist and humid
dense forest floors. The genus was closely related to previously known genus Phaius and
after the merge of these two genera in 2020 by Chase et al. the nomenclatural stability is
maintained. This study is based on all the species of these taxa that are naturally
distributed in Nepal.
This taxonomic revisionary study is based on the herbarium specimens and fresh plant
materials. The herbarium specimens are thoroughy studied from KATH and TUCH. And
the examination of available images of herbarium specimens collected from Nepal are
also done in international herbaria like; BM, E, K and TI. This study confirms the
presence of 15 species of Calanthe in Nepal namely; C. alpina, C. arcuata, C.
brevicornu, C. chloroleuca, C. davidii, C. densiflora, C. griffithii, C. mannii, C. masuca,
C. plantaginea, C. puberula, C. tankervilleae, C. tricarinata, C. trulliformis and C.
woodfordii. Among these 15 species, 2 species are later added from previously known
genus ‘Phaius’; C. tankervilleae and C. woodfordii.
The synonyms, type specimens, description, ecology, altitudinal range, flowering season,
specimens examined and distribution map for all the species present in Nepal is prepared.
Also, the illustration and bracketed taxonomic key is made to identify the species. The
character of lip is more important in taxonomic view point for delimiting the species of
this genus.
Additionally, the cladistic analysis is also interpreted to find out the phylogenetic
relationship between the species. The cladogram showed that C. chloroleuca and C.
plantaginea are closely related species. Similarly, the study also portrayed the closest
relationship between C. tankervilleae and C. woodfordii.
The genus Calanthe is found to be distributed in all 3 regions of Nepal with the altitudinal
range from 200 m to 3300 m in 31 districts of Nepal. The peak flowering season of this
genus is May to August and more than half of species of Calanthe in Nepal have
flowering time in these months.