Another rare flower 'wild grass orchid' found blooming at Ukhrul
Source: The Sangai Express / Mungchan Zimik

Ukhrul, November 25 2018: It has been reported that a wild grass orchids was foundblooming at the lower ridge of Seipeikong range of Lungshang village, Ukhrul.

Although, the wild grass has been known to local people as Khawowon (Tangkhul dialect) meaning "grass orchid" for many years yet the people of Ukhrul has paid no attention to her beauty.

Wild grass orchid grows in bunches within a circumference of 1000-1500 metres of the ridge in isolation at Seipeikong area.

Janeth Hungyo, a woman in her late sixties from Kamphasom, Ukhrul discovered wild grass orchid and preserved it in her garden.

From 2017 onwards, it has started to bloom, she added.

While speaking with our correspondent, J Hungyo narrated on how she discovered the wild grass orchid from Seipeikong and added that the flowers bloom in light green to pale greenish pink, cylindrical-ribbed in shape, and glabrous.

The blooming period usually occurs from late autumn season, lasting about 3-4 weeks, she informed and added the flowers bloom sequentially from the bottom to the top of the floral spike.

She continued that the grass orchids have slender leaves resembling blades of grass, the flowers are symmetrical and the petal on the flowers are covered with sepals.

She said that the orchid produced a very sweet fragrance during sunshine which is refreshing.

According to Hungyo, she had preserved 40 more wild orchids in her garden apart from her collection of exotic and other flowers including petunia, dahlia, esther, begonia, astromeria, roses, etc since 1982 and had identified at least three different types of epiphytes in Ukhrul (bamboo, grass and tree orchids).

She had also exhibited the wild grass orchid in many flower show held at district level on many occasion for identification and she is yet to give a botanical name to the species.

She said that the expert or botanist whom she met in the exhibition show were new to the species (wild grass orchid) which is found in Ukhrul.

Janeth Hungyo is among few women who gave enthusiastic effort to preserve and promote the floras and fauna found in the district.

According to her, first flower show was organised in Viewland Baptist, Ukhrul in 1991 through her mobilization and campaign.

Later, denizens of Ukhrul gradually picked up and started to host more such events, she maintained.

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