Orchids of Kalimpong – Page 2 – Naresh Swami | The Orchids of the Sikkim Himalaya

Bulbophyllum roxburghii (Lindl.) Rchb.f.

Epiphyte. Pseudo-bulbs small, ovoid-globose, attached 1 to 2 cm apart on very thin naked rhizome. Leaf solitary, oblanceolate, obtuse, obliquely notched, narrowed to the base, sessile, 3 to 5 long and around 1.5 cm in width. Scape shorter or as long as the leaves, sub erect, with two sheathing bracts and at the apex a radiating umbel of 10 to 15 beautiful flowers. Flowers are of pale brownish green base with reddish brown to dark purple spots and veins. The dorsal sepal is greenish brown with five dark purple veins and a few spots of the same colour, the lateral sepals are greenish brown with numerous spots and markings of various shades of reddish brown. Petals are rather with darker shade than the sepals and with three dark purple veins and numerous spots. The lip is of brownish yellow base and with purple spots and fine margin of the same shade. Both the dorsal sepal and petals are with purple coloured marginal cilia. The dorsal sepals are small, free from the lateral pair at its base, concave, lying over the column, ovate-acute, the tip with several soft hairs on its edges. The lateral pair, much longer than the dorsal, 3 to 4 times, narrowly oblong, very blunt, sub-falcate, coherent. Petals ovate, sub-acute, with very oblique bases, the edges ciliate. Lip broadly ovate at the base much narrowed in the anterior half, the apex obtuse, the edges entire.

The Pursuit

Another interesting species of the region. Never ever thought I will come across it with such ease. I and one of my close friend, who came all the way from Delhi were camping on the banks of a small stream. He came to the hills only to enjoy a few nights of “tent stay” under the open sky. We were on a casual walk on the first evening of our stay looking for some fallen woods, so as to make a camp fire in the evening. Walked through the right bank of the stream for some meters and crossed the knee high waters on top of a fallen tree to the other side. Collected some fire wood and took the same path back. My friend with some wood logs on his hand was not able to balance his way back over the fallen tree and crossed the knee high waters through the stream. I crossed the stream first and asked him to pose for a photograph holding the logs while inside the waters. I clicked few pics and went to him to collect his mobile, so that a few pics can also be clicked on his mobile. Suddenly, I spotted this species on the under side of the fallen tree, with around 20 to 25 bulbs and eight umbels of flowers. Three of them were in full bloom. In excitement I even forgot the presence my friend and the logs we collected and started documenting this flower the rest of the evening. If my friend was not there, I would have never ventured to that region on those days and would have missed this beautiful species in bloom. The fact that the entire plant population on that fallen tree will get destroyed when the water level rises in the river in the coming monsoon season made us think about replanting those rare plants to a safer place. The next day we both carefully replanted all those plants from that fallen tree to a near by tree on the same habitat. This year too, my friend came exactly on the same days of the year to see his efforts bearing new flowers in the new host tree.

Coelogyne cristata Lindl. – the variety form.

A look alike plant of its species, but very rarely found. The only observed difference is mainly with the flowers. The sepals and petals are not much undulated, slightly wavy only. The other difference is with the colouration of the disc between the side lobes, it is very pale yellow or in some cases not at all noticeable.

The Pursuit

Sir. George King and Robert Pantling reported about this variety in their monumental work. However, till date there was no mention of this variety anywhere. Thinking it is still there in the wild, I along with my friend from the village made several visits to the jungle where we found the species in abundance, everyday returning with a hope to find the variety. By the end of the season, we found a few rather huge pendulous clusters of white flowers relatively at a low altitude and in bloom. As it was around 20 feet high from the ground, we were not able to notice the lip colour. “No ways out, climb up the tree only”, commanded my friend. We both climbed that huge tree with the help of a rope encircled around it. He was the one who reached the tree top first and requested me in a very soft tone, “Swamiji, please go down and come up with your camera”, “I found what you were looking for”. Rest was something unimaginable, I reached the ground in hardly 2 seconds, picked up the camera and accessories went up the tree like an expert climber…… thanks I reached the top without a fall!!!!. Yes, it was the variety one, the one with pale yellow mid lobe or in many cases white itself. The flowers we got were also fresh, with no markings or dirt on its sepals and petals, thus producing this perfect photograph, for the first time.

Coelogyne corymbosa Lindl.

Epiphyte. Pseudo-bulbs crowded, ovoid, slightly sheathed at the base, 2 to 4 cm long, attached to a stout rhizome. Leaves narrowly elliptic-oblong, acute, narrowed to the sessile base, 8 to 12 cm long and 2 to 4 cm in width. Raceme of variable size, decurved, its peduncle enclosed in large sheaths. Flowers 3 to 5, but for the yellow blotched lip the flower is pure white through out, very sweet-scented. Sepals and petals sub-equal, with the later narrower, lanceolate. Lip oblong, much contracted about the middle, the lateral lobes broad and blunt, the terminal lobe ovate.

The Pursuit

A rather sub-alpine species, found growing above 8000 ft only. However, becoming very rare in the wild. Enjoyed and photographed the beauty from the region in 2007 much before I started my work on orchids. Very attractive and sweet scented flower, also found in one of my favorite places in the hills. It is always in bloom along with the Summer rains. As it is milk white throughout, getting a perfect photograph, no shadows – no marks, will be always a bit tricky. This particular photograph was from my 2012 collection, by that time the species has gone rare.. However, I got this perfect one without any markings and spots on its sepals and petals from a very tall tree. The tree was so huge and tall with heavy branches, so had a nice climb and sat comfortably near the flower and produced this beautiful photograph. Also, the “seating” was so comfortable, which enabled me use the optical fibre cable lighting, to lit up the three lamellae!!!!!

Calanthe brevicornu Lindl.

Terrestrial. The whole plant is less than 15 to 20 cm in height. Pseudo-bulbs small, ovoid, pointed, arranged very closely. Pseudo stem 5 to 7 cm, with wide sheaths. Leaves usually 3, very rarely 5, sub-equal, oblong elliptic, shortly acuminate, tapered to the wide sheathing base, 12 to 20 cm long and 4 to 7 cm in width. Peduncle and raceme longer than the leaves, former with a few scattered short bracts; later around 15 to 20 cm long, with scattered flowers. Flowers beautiful, dull red to brownish red, with the base of sepals and petals flushed with white, both sepals and petals white veined (usually three), lip slightly pale in colour compared to sepal and petals with distinct white margins throughout. The mouth of the spur is lined with retroflexed hairs. Sepals sub-equal, oblong-lanceolate, acute and spreading. Petals slightly shorter and narrower than the sepals, lanceolate. Lip attached to the lower half of the column, 3-lobed, and with a short, blunt straight spur.

The Pursuit

Easy to locate from the forests, as it appears and blooms before the monsoon showers which make the forest floor fully covered with undergrowths. I found a few of this species in the end of April, while on a routine survey to the forest. However, in the initial stages, confusion prevailed with correct identification, as few Calanthes of the region are look alikes. Repeated visits were needed to the region to find them in bloom, as the flowers are quite larger the blooming also takes a longer time. Finally it bloomed, one by one from the bottom providing an opportunity to photograph a new flower every other day. To be frank, the sepals, petals and lip of this species are spreading and as well as flat, hence not much difficulty to get a sharp photograph like the one here.

Bulbophyllum triste Reichb.

Epiphyte. Pseudo-bulbs turbinate with umbonate apices arranged at 1 to 3 cm apart on very thin naked rhizomes. Leaves two, sub-membranous, flaccid, narrowly oblong, tapering on both sides – to the acute apex and to the sub-sessile base, 5 to 8 cm long and 1.5 to 2 cm broad. Leaf less during flowering. Scape 6 to 8 cm long, the peduncle slender, erect with a few filiform bracteoles, twice as long as the drooping densely flowered raceme. Sepals purple with greenish margins. Dorsal sepal oblong, ovate blunt, concave. The lateral pair slightly longer, cohering at the tips and with margins incurved. Petals purple, almost triangular, mid nerved, much shorter than the sepals. Lip brownish red with a very narrow yellowish margin, stipitate, oblong-lanceolate. The flowers are of an unpleasant odour.

The Pursuit

The authors, Sir George King and Robert Pantling, wrote that, the collection of the species by them were the first of its kind from the region. Previously it was believed to be a native of Burma only. This doubled my interest to find the species from the region again. Its pseudo-bulb is something unusual in comparison to other Bulbophyllums. Keeping this in mind that, I searched hard for the species, especially in the tropical valleys but in vain. However, in the mid February of 2012, I stumbled up on a few leaf less pseudo-bulbs atop a tall tree near the valley. However, the bulbs were not the same as described by Sir George King and Robert Pantling in their book. Still I kept hope in those bulbs as Bulbophyllum triste, Reichb. However, the summer heat produced a forest fire and the whole area got burnt down. It was understood that the same species may be somewhere around also. The tropical torrid atmosphere coupled with windless river valleys stand as a big obstacle to do repeated tree climbings in that area. But luck was in my favour. One of my friend from the village while collecting leaves for his cattle flock found just one pseudo-bulb with a rather unusual long flower. He informed me over phone and next day I visited the place to see an unusually long raceme in full bloom. Documented it the best way I could.

Bulbophyllum polyrhizum Lindl.

Epiphyte. A very small plant with thread like branching rhizome and small globular to ovoid smooth pseudo-bulbs attached about 2 to 3 cm apart. Leaf solitary, narrowly oblong, sub-acute, narrowed to the sessile base, leaf less during flowering, and as long as 4 to 6 cm and less than 1 cm in breadth. Scape filiform, about 7 to 10 cm long, its peduncle sub-erect, longer than the raceme, with a couple of minute bracteoles. Raceme inclined, with 4 to 6 distantly arranged pale yellow coloured flowers. Sepals spreading, sub-acute, the dorsal ovate; the lateral pair longer, oblong-lanceolate, three nerved. Petals shorter than the sepals, acute. Lip stipitate, deflexed from the base, oblong, obtuse, the basal half grooved.

The Pursuit

This species got a lot of biological attention as a century ago. Wallichi’s drawing from a specimen from Nepal; other specimens collected from Dehradun; specimens collected by Lister and J.D.Hooker’s descriptions showing variations. However, Pantling got a few specimens from Sikkim-Himalayas and he made the drawings for the monumental publication. As the referral book got an excellent drawing of a specimen from Sikkim-Himalayas, I put extra efforts to find it from the region again. This is a very small plant and leaf less during flowering season makes it very difficult to spot it. However, the mention of the month of its blooming helped me to track it down. I was in search of a variety of Dendrobium nobile Lindl from the Teesta valley at a very low altitude in the summer months. I got a bunch of almost dried orchid bulbs attached to a thin rhizome from a broken trunk of a fallen tree. The branched rhizome and small globular pseudo-bulbs prompted me to pull out my referral books to cross check it. While cross checking, I zeroed on Bulbophyllum polyrhizum Lindl. Next day, again went to that region with another friend, a nice tree climber, and climbed up most of the trees of that region. Finally in the afternoon, we found this rare species, with all its leaves shed and in buds. Cross checked again and again with Pantling’s drawings to make sure that it is what we were searching for. Finally, after 6 days of waiting and repeatedly climbing the tree every day, those buds bloomed to put the final seal on its identity.

Bulbophyllum tortuosum (Blume) Lindl.

Epiphyte. Rhizome absent. Pseudo-bulbs narrowly ovoid, compressed, less than 3 cm, obliquely and alternately arranged, sub-imbricate, wrinkled. Leaf linear-oblong, tapering to each end, sessile, fleshy. Both pseudo-bulbs and leaves are brownish red tinged. Flowers very small and solitary, dull brown coloured, on very short pedicels from the bases of pseudo-bulbs. Sepals un-equal and with ciliolate margins, the dorsal ovate-lanceolate, blunt, spreading; the lateral pair slightly longer. Petals broadly ovate, with obtuse apices. Lip oblong lanceolate, slightly deflexed from the base, flat.

This species is named after J.L.Lister of the Bhotan Cinchona Association who discovered it. The authors, Sir George King and Robert Pantling described this species as “the most curious” of the whole Bulbophyllum genus.

Bulbophyllum tortuosum, (Blume) Lindl — Bulbophyllum tortuosum (Blume) Lindl.

The Pursuit

One has to put extra ordinary efforts to find “the most curious” ones. The leaf and pseudo-bulb’s tinge and the bulb arrangements of this species are very unique, which will help us to locate it. However, the search for this took several months without any success. I showed the colour drawings of Robert Pantling to a lot of local people to enquire if anybody had seen some plants like this somewhere, but in vain. I was not able to find the species in 2011, however in the early 2012, a trip was made to look for some other plants which I had spotted in my previous surveys. On the way back through the right bank of a small stream, I found some medium sized trees with some local climbers in flowers. Viewed them with my binoculars for a much closer view. Suddenly my eyes got locked to a pendulous bunch of some orchid species….. the view was not clear to do proper identification from the spot I was standing. Decided to have a closer look, crossed the river with the help of a few fallen bamboos and climbed up the hill and the tree to find a huge cluster of Bulbophyllum tortuosum (Blume) Lindl, in buds and in flowers. I have no words to explain my joy, I was really jumping up and down on top of that tree!!! Came down the tree, took camera and flashes up the tree and produced this beautiful photograph.

Anoectochilus roxburghii (Wall.) Lindl.

Terrestrial. A small plant of the height between 7 to 15 cm of stem and 3 to 6 cm of inflorescence. Leaves ovate, the petioles short and somewhat expanded at the base, glabrous. Peduncle glandular-pubescent, with few scattered sheathing bracts with acuminate spices. Raceme much shorter than the peduncle, bearing 2 to 5 resupinate flowers. Sepals unequal, dorsal broadly ovate, acuminate, its apex shortly recurved; the lateral pair oblong, acute all glandular-hairy. Petals smaller than the sepals, oblanceolate, with hooked spices. Base of the lip adpressed to the face of the column and with two calli, claw with seven or eight pairs of slender unequal fimbriae.

The Pursuit

The most photographed of all Jewel orchids, because it is available in most of the nurseries across the region. However, seldom photographed in bloom. Very rare in the wild also. It was a dream to document this species in bloom. Tried several seasons to find the plant in bloom. Grows in low altitudes and bloom in winter months, made it a habit every year to survey for this. Finally found from the Eastern zone of the region, during the month of November in buds. As there are not much blooming in those months of any other species spent considerable days in and around the region to document it in bloom. However, it took considerably more days to open than expected. With some urgent work I was forced to move to another location for a couple of days and returned to the region to find a single bud opened the same day. It was a delight to my eyes and will never forget that moment.

Goodyera repens (L.) R.Brown.

Terrestrial. A small beautiful plant of the size 6 to 12 cm in height. Stem leafy below and bracteate above, passing into pubescent peduncle. Leaves ovate-elliptic to elliptic, the peduncle sheathing in the lower half. Raceme sub-secund, its rachis and the bracts and ovaries sparsely pubescent or sometimes sub-glabrous. Sepals sub-equal, ovate, sub-acute. Petals about as long as the sepals, cunneate-oblong, acute at the apex. Lip about as long as the sepals, saccate at the base, the apical lobe short.

The Pursuit

This species was documented from the Western Himalayas by several people who visited the “Valley of Flowers”. However, even though described by many from Eastern Himalayas, none was able to produce a photograph (It never grows in any nurseries like other Jewel orchids may be the reason!!!). I decided to survey an area between 12000 and 13000 ft. As it grows near to streams and water bodies, I concentrated on areas with wet and moist surroundings. Even though it is a small plant, its leaves are very attractive and draws attention. At those altitude the main trees are the Rhododendrons with very thick and strong branches which make survey under them very difficult. However, with very much difficulty I crawled under those thickets in search of this species for several days. Finally all of a sudden I was standing in front of the species, altogether around 15 plants scattered on a wet moist land. They were in buds only, however it took another two weeks to see them blooming. In the two weeks I visited the area for 6 days. Finally I got it on a rainy day. I still remember the efforts I put that evening to dry up my camera stuff.

Habenaria dentata var. dentata.

Terrestrial. Whole plant about 35 to 80 cm in height. Lower part of stem sheathed, middle leafy and upper part bracteate. Leaves 4 to 6 cm long, oblong to elliptic, 5 nerved, sometimes 7 also, the base of the leaf narrowed into a long tubular sheath. Spike 4 to 8 cm long, laxly flowered. Sepals sub-equal, broadly ovate, acute, spreading, the lateral pair sub-erect. Petals narrowly oblong, sub-acute, curved inwards, shorter than the sepals. Lip as long as the sepals, variable in breadth, with large cuneate or rounded, fimbriate or crenate side lobes and a small oblong entire apical lobe. Spur infundibuliform at the base, slender laterally compressed, geniculte, sub-clavate below the knee, longer than the shortly stalked beaked ovary. Stigmas separated by the area in the centre by the orifice of the spur.

The Pursuit

The local people of the region had seen this plant in bloom and had admired its beauty for many years, to them this is the most attractive flower of their forest. I located a few places, where this species appears every season and was following it to document in bloom. Information came from local villagers that they found two plants with buds about to bloom, so I reached the area. The plants were on a height of about 800 ft on a steep hill. For seven continuous days I climbed up the hill only to see them in buds. As I have to document some other plants I decided to leave them behind and proceeded to the other location, thinking I will only see them in bloom the next season. To my surprise, on the drive home, all of a sudden, from the window of the moving vehicle, I spotted the species in full bloom on the road side. I got down on that deserted forest area to see six plants with four of them in full bloom. I have never experienced anything like that in my entire flower hunt, something I waited for long is right in front of me. I will never forget those moments as well as the 17 km trek I made after that to reach the nearest village!!!!