Eulophia andamanensis

Eulophia andamanensis is an orchid endemic to the Andaman and Nicobar group of Islands (off the east coast of India between 6°45′N 93°12′E / 6.750°N 93.200°E / 6.750; 93.200 and 13°41′N 93°57′E / 13.683°N 93.950°E / 13.683; 93.950) and also in the north-western tip of Langkawi island in Malaysia.

The genus Eulophia belongs to the subfamily Epidendroideae, 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 centre 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.

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 pseudobulb

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 centre

Days for all florets to open: 25

Pod size: Medium

Seeds: Numerous

References

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