A systematic enumeration of the Orchidaceae of Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, is presented here based on extensive field surveys and herbarium studies. A total of 127 orchid species belonging to 48 genera were recorded, comprising 32 epiphytic, 80 terrestrial, and 15 saprophytic species. Fifteen orchid species are newly recorded for Chamoli district. The study also documents the elevational distribution, habitat preferences, host-tree associations, phenology, ecology, colour photographic plates for species identification and conservation status of the orchid flora of Chamoli district, providing an important baseline for future taxonomic, ecological, and conservation studies in the Western Himalaya.
Aeginetia indica L. (Orobanchaceae), an obligate root holoparasitic angiosperm, is reported here as a new distributional record for the state of Telangana, India. The species was collected from the Marlapaya forest, Lingal Range, Amrabad Tiger Reserve, Nallamala hills of the Eastern Ghats, growing as a root holoparasite on grasses. A taxonomic description, along with notes on habitat, host association, phenology, distribution, colour photographs and herbarium voucher data, is provided here to facilitate easy identification and to document this extension in the known geographical range of the species in peninsular India.
Hymenidium benthamii (DC.) Pimenov & Kljuykov, a rare and less-known species has recently been collected nearly after a long period from India. Apart from a brief diagnosis and types, no detailed illustration or photograph was available for this species. Therefore, a detailed description and a colour photo-plate and illustration based on our collections, have been provided for the first time to facilitate identification of this less-known species.
Teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) is a major plantation species in central India, where planting material quality critically influences early establishment and growth. This study compared the early field performance of four planting material types: tissue culture plants raised in polypots (TC–Polypot) and root trainers (TC–Root Trainer) procured from the Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (IFGTB), Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu; tissue culture plants procured from Sachdev Nursery and Tissue Culture Lab, Damoh, Madhya Pradesh (TC–MP); and presprouted stumps (PS–MP) procured from the Regional Office, Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh Forest Development Corporation (MPFDC), Madhya Pradesh. The plantation trial was established at Compartment 877, Beat Kataphod, Range Kataphod, Dewas Forest Division, Madhya Pradesh in the second week of July 2023. Plant height, collar diameter, height-to-diameter (H/D) ratio, and survival were assessed at 28 months after planting using grid-based random sampling across 2,230 plants. One-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s HSD test revealed significant differences among planting material types for all parameters (p < 0.05). TC–Polypot recorded the highest mean height (91.72 ± 1.98 cm) and collar diameter (20.35 ± 0.33 mm), followed by TC–Root Trainer, TC–MP, and PS–MP. Survival ranged from 72.24% (TC–Polypot) to 58.60% (PS–MP). The H/D ratio was comparable across TC types (4.50–4.54) but lower in PS–MP (4.07), indicating sturdier stem form. Tissue culture planting materials, particularly TC–Polypot, demonstrated superior early performance and are recommended for high-productivity teak plantations in central India. Long-term monitoring is needed to confirm whether early growth advantages translate into shorter rotation cycles.
