Eulophia andamanensis

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Eulophia andamanensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Genus: Eulophia
Species: E. andamanensis
Binomial name
Eulophia andamanensis
Reich b.f.

Eulophia andamanensis is an orchid endemic to the Andaman and Nicobar group of Islands are situated off the eastern coast of India between 6°45′N, 93°12′E and 13°41′N, 93°57′E.

The genus Eulophia belongs to the subfamily Vandoideae, tribe Cymbidieae, and subtribe Cyrtopodiinae. Eulophia andamanensis is found growing wild in the Little Andaman Islands, where the temperature ranges between 23–30 °C and the annual average rainfall is 3473 mm. Tropical evergreen forest floors of Andamans is the habitat of this orchid, and it is scarcely distributed.

The growth habit is sympodial. The stem at the base is bulbous, with thick roots. The leaves are short during flowering, linear lanceolate. The bracts are shorter than the pedicel, the sepals 2 cm long, the lip shorter than the sepals. The sepals are linear lanceolate, 3–5 nerved, acuminate; both the sepals and petals are pale green in colour, the lip green at the base and white at the center with maroon horizontal striations. The flowering period is from November to March, with the florets borne on long spikes (0.6–1.3 m long), and last for about 50 days.

[edit] Description

Plant vigour: Slow
Stem: Erect
Pseudobulb: Present, elongated and Sheathed
Leaf arrangement: Alternate
Leaf shape: Lanceolate
Leaf Colour: Dark Green
Leaf Margin: Entire
Leaf Length: 46 cm
Leaf Width: 5.25 cm
Leaf venation: Parallel venation midrib and veins prominent on under surface of leaf
Leaf number: 6–8
Inflorescence type: Raceme
Spike emergence: From the base of the psuedobulb
Number of spikes/plant: 2–4
Flower arrangement: Alternate
Flower: Bractate
Number of florets/spike: 18–45
Flower size: Small (6.65 cm across the axes)
Shape of the lip: Frizzled , ridged along the center
Days for all florets to open: 25
Pod size: Medium
Seeds: Numerous