Guwahati: Orchids are known for their blooming flowers, but a newly discovered species in India challenges this norm. A unique orchid species, Gastrodia indica, was recently discovered in Fambonglho Wildlife Sanctuary, Sikkim, which never opens its flower. This discovery was made during a botanical expedition by botanist Madhusudan Khanal from the G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment—Sikkim Regional Centre.
“It is the first orchid from India that never opens its flower,” Madhusudan Khanal, a research scholar with the Department of Botany, Sikkim University, told EastMojo. The new species has been named after India, as it is the first cleistogamous species of the Gastrodia genus found in the country.
Cleistogamy refers to the formation of flowers that do not open, in contrast to chasmogamous flowers that do. Holomycotrophic species like Gastrodia indica rely entirely on a fungal host for sustenance, lacking chlorophyll and drawing carbon from underground fungi.
This self-pollinating species is a remarkable find, especially since only five completely cleistogamous species have been documented worldwide. The research, led by Khanal, was conducted under the auspices of the G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment’s Sikkim Regional Centre. The orchid was found at an elevation of 1,950–2,100 metres above sea level.
Cleistogamous plants are highly specialized, as they do not depend on external pollinators like insects or wind for reproduction. The Gastrodia genus, known for its terrestrial, herbaceous, and holomycotrophic orchids, is characterized by its lack of leaves and reliance on decaying leaf litter in forest understories.
This new species thrives in dense, rotten leaf litter and is associated with trees such as Magnolia doltsopa, Acer campbelli, and Quercus lamellosa. The discovery adds to India’s botanical diversity, bringing the total number of Gastrodia species in the country to ten. Herbarium specimens have been meticulously prepared and deposited in the Central National Herbarium (CAL) and Sikkim University Herbarium.
However, Gastrodia indica faces potential threats due to its limited population and specific habitat requirements. Fewer than 100 individuals were observed during the expedition, highlighting the species’ rarity.
“As the type habitat is a long-term ecological monitoring site, a limited anthropogenic disturbance probably resulted in the luxuriant growth of this extremely elusive species,” Khanal said. Despite extensive surveys of similar habitats around the locality, no additional populations were found. “It can be assumed that the new species, being a holomycotroph, is extremely sensitive to any anthropogenic pressure, hence any disturbance or changes in habitat could result in the loss of the species.”
Fambonglho Wildlife Sanctuary, home to species like the Himalayan black bear, red panda, and rare birds, provides a crucial refuge for diverse wildlife and flora, including wild orchids and rhododendrons. The Sanctuary’s buffer area offers views of the Khangchendzonga range, making it a key conservation site in the region.
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