Three highly threatened species of orchids are presently preserved
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, July 28 2010:
The orchid Preservation Centre, Khonghampat, under the Wildlife Wing of Forest Department, Government of Manipur, 12 km north of Imphal city on National Highway 39, is said to be preserving about 220 species of orchids including the rare and endangered species.
Among the highly threatened species of orchids specified in Schedule-VI of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, three species namely, Blue vanda (Vanda Coerulea) (Kwaklei), Red vanda (Renanthera imschootiana) (Kwaklei Angangba) and Lady's slipper (Paphiopedilum spp.) (Khongup Lei) are at present being preserved at the Centre, reports received from the Centre said.
There are also three other orchid species endemic to Manipur, namely� Ascocentrum ampullaceum var.auruanticum (Nachom Lei), Schoenorchis manipurensis and Kalimpongia narjitii.
The reports further said that the North Eastern region is estimated to have about 600 species of orchids.
As per Biological Survery of India (BSI), Manipur alone is considered to have about 450 species.
The Khonghampat Centre is an ex-situ preservation centre with about 220 species of orchids.
The Centre is also preserving various species of trees, bamboos and other imortant rare and vanishing plants of the state.
Among them, species such as, Agar (Aquileria agalocha), Ushingsha (Cinamomum zelanicm), Hing (Ferula asafoetida), Ficus krishnae (Makhan katori), Tairel (edrela toona), Heirangoi (Amoora rohituka), Budha's bamboo (Babusa vulgaris forma waminii), Apatani bamboo (phyllotachys), Kwamanbi (Smilex lanceifolia), Yendang (Cycas pectinata), Chandrika (Rauwolfia serpentine), Bokul (Mimusops elengii), (Nageshwar (Mesua ferrea), Glory lily (Gloriosa superba) and Ashoka treee (Saraca indica).
The reports further said that the Centre is planning to collect and preserve more indegenous orchid species and develope new hybrids by crossing with the superior species, among others.
An official source said that the Centre is preparing to add more species making the number 250 .
The Orchid Preservation Centre, Khonghampat will be bringing out a book containing the photographs and descriptions of all the orchids species preserved at the Centre soon.