Orchids of Odisha: A Handbook

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Orchids are one of the largest groups of flowering plants exhibiting an incredible range of diversity in size, shape, structure, number and colour of the flowers. They are spread practically all over the world, but particularly abundant in the warm humid tropics. India is a major orchid-rich habitat with nearly 1350 species. More than half of this grows in the north eastern region of the country.

The state of Odisha located in the east of India has rich vegetation, Orchids included, 137 species of orchids, both in terrestrial and epiphytic forms, almost equal in numbers, are known from the state. A book “Orchids of Orissa” was published by this author in 2004. Field study during the past ten years has enriched information on the growth habits of the wild orchids of Odisha, which is included in this treatment, eight more orchids including two novelties have been added to the known number of species in Odisha.

This book contains information on the lifeform, growth habits and morphology of the Odisha orchids. A large number of figures have been provided to explain this as also to show the diversity in their forms. Orchid habitats in Odisha and their flowering behaviour have been provided. The status of orchids in the state and their Conservation measures have been briefly discussed.

The enumeration of species consists of the morphological description of the species, its flowering period, field notes and locality of occurrence in one page. The facing page contains analytical drawings of the concerned species made by the author. A key to the species based on visible field characters provided to help in identifying the species. A glossary of botanic terms is provided at the end to help the readers.

This book, although titled as Orchids of Odisha, tries to answer queries on wild orchids to the Botanists, foresters, hobbyists and all those interested in Indian Orchids.

Contents: Preface. Introduction. 1. Lifeform and growth habits of the Odisha orchids. 2. Morphology. 3. Orchid habitats in Odisha. 4. Flowering behaviour of the Odisha orchids. 5. Speciality and importance of orchids. 6. Status and conservation measures. 7. Systematic. Glossary of botanic terms. References. Index to scientific names.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sarat Misra

Sarat Misra has an intimate knowledge on the Orissa orchids through his close and prolonged association with the wild. A native of Orissa, he did his degree in Civil Engineering in 1963 from Utkal University. He served under the Governmetn of Orissa in the Works Department and retired in 1998 as Chief Engineer. He was introduced to the orchids during 1968. His main interest was floristics and the taxonomy. But he also studied the phenology, especially of flowering, and the conservation biology of orchids. He has been frequently visiting the herbaria of the Botanical Survey of India. He has also visited the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the British (Natural History) Museum, London, for study of the Indian orchids. He has to his credit 60 papers published in books and journals within and outside India. He was conferred with the degree of Doctor of Science (honoris causa) in Orchidology by the Utkal Univresity in 1996. he is presently a member of the Orissa State Pollution Control Board and a member of the Research Committee of the Similipal Biosphere Reserve. He is a founder member of the Orchid Society of India and functions as its Secretary for the Orissa and Bihar Chapter. Dr. Misra is also a member of the Orchid Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission from India. He is currently heading a collaborating unit of All India Coordinated Research Project on Taxonomy Capacity Building of Indian Orchids, sponsored by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.