Pankaj Kumar

Texas Tech University | TTU · Department of Plant and Soil Science

Malaxidinae are a cosmopolitan higher Epidendroid subtribe of > 1250 species that exhibit wide morphological and ecological diversity. Despite almost two centuries of taxonomic deliberation, controversy persists regarding the delimitation of practically all Malaxidinae genera, the most important of which are Crepidium, Dienia, Liparis and Malaxis....

Eulophia (Eulophiinae; Epidendroideae) has been found in molecular phylogenetic studies to be non-monophyletic. Here, we propose to combine it with Acrolophia, Cymbidiella, Eulophiella, Geodorum, Oeceoclades and Paralophia and discuss the characters that have been used previously to discriminate among these genera, demonstrating that none of them i...

The following nine new additions to the orchid flora of Laos PDR are reported based on surveys in the country conducted during the period 2012–2017: Bulbophyllum alcicorne, B. meson, Coelogyne suaveolens, Cyrtosia nana, Dendrobium phuketense, Oberonia rhizoides, Phaius columnaris, Thelasis khasiana and Zeuxine longilabris. The taxonomy of a further...

Thismia nigricoronata is described as a new species in family Burmanniaceae. Both morphological and phylogenetic analyses indicate that this new Lao endemic is allied to T. taiwanensis in section Glaziocharis, and it can be differentiated on the basis of its longer vestigial stem leaves, reflexed free outer perianth lobes and ornamented, vibrantly...

A new species, Gastrochilus kadooriei, is described from Hong Kong. Notes are presented on its distribution, ecology and conservation status, and its distinguishing features are compared with those of allied taxa. Gastrochilus jeitouensis is reduced to the synonymy of G. distichus, and a lectotype is assigned for G. pseudodistichus. Gastrochilus fu...

This paper continues the publication of new data obtained during field studies in remote and poorly studied regions of Laos in 2017-2022. It provides descriptions of one species and one variety new for science (Oberonia sinuata Aver. and Cleiso stoma fuerstenbergianum Kraenzl. var. minutiflorum Aver.) and reports five species newly recorded in the...

Trichoglottis longifolia Atthan., C. Bandara, N.L. Bandara & Kumar sp. nov. is described and illustrated as a new species from Sri Lanka. So far, the genus was represented by a single species in Sri Lanka, Trichoglottis tenera. The new species can be easily distinguished from T. tenera in having longer leaves, yellowish-green flowers with lanceolat...

Tree distribution has been considered crucial to assess the relationships between species occurrence and changing climate across the globe, and accordingly in designing the conservation action plans. Therefore, it becomes imperative to understand the most influential parameters for tree species distribution and its regeneration pattern. We used Nat...

IUCN Red List Assessment of Pleione arunachalensis.

Apostasia nipponica and Crepidium cordilabium are newly added to the orchid flora of Hong Kong and their taxonomy is reviewed. A detailed description and line drawing are provided for both species, as are notes on flowering phenology and conservation status. Following careful examination of type material and other authentic specimens from throughou...

Eulophia myanmarica, a species new to science is herein described from Monywa District, Sagaing Region, Myanmar. The species superficially resembles E. andamanensis but differs significantly in having 5-veined petals and sepals, narrowly oblong dorsal sepal with acute, slightly cucullate apex, obliquely narrowly oblong-elliptic lateral sepals and o...

Dendrobium fuscifaucium is described here as a new species from Laos PDR. This species was found at a local nursery and was claimed to have been collected from the limestone mountains of Kasi District (Vientiane Province). Detailed description and comparison, comparison with its allied species, D. hekouense, D. luoi and D. wangliangii is provided,...

A new species, Chamaeanthus averyanovii is described from Vietnam. It resembles C. brachystachys in many features but can be differentiated on the basis of leaves and morphological details of flower. The manuscript presents description, illustrated color plate and data on its phenology, ecology, and distribution. Morphological resemblance of the ne...

A new species, Chamaeanthus averyanovii is described from Vietnam. It resembles C. brachystachys in many features but can be differentiated on the basis of leaves and morphological details of flower. The manuscript presents description, illustrated color plate and data on its phenology, ecology, and distribution. Morphological resemblance of the ne...

Three species of Nervilia Comm. ex Gaudich. are enumerated from Sri Lanka. A key to the identification of these three species is provided along with taxonomic details, descriptions and notes on flowering phenology, habitat and global distribution. The misidentification of the only species previously recorded in the country, N. juliana (Roxb.) Schlt...

Odontochilus putaoensis X.H.Jin, L.A.Ye & A.T.Mu, a jewel orchid hitherto known only from Myanmar and Laos, is recorded from China for the first time. A detailed morphological description and a colour figure are provided, together with information on habitat, distribution and tentative conservation status. An updated identification key to the genus...

Cymbilabia sourioudongii, a new species of epiphytic orchid is described and illustrated from Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area of Laos PDR.

Preface for special issue on Orchid Systematics in Rheedea 31(3)

Chamaegastrodia poilanei (Gagnep.) Seidenf. is reported from Arunachal Pradesh, India, with a detailed description, notes on taxonomy, provision of its differentiating characters from C. asraoa (J.Joseph & Abbar.) Seidenf. & A.N.Rao, supplemented with a colour photographic plate, and a conservation assessment.

Lectotypification of Bulbophyllum crassipes is discussed along with its taxonomy and distribution. Detailed notes on its taxonomic history, phenology, and conservation status through red list assessment is also presented.

The recent discovery in Hong Kong of plants matching the description of Tropidia nip-ponica, a rhizomatous, leafy geophyte native to southwest Japan, Taiwan and parts of southern China, fomented a taxonomic investigation of this and morphologically similar members of Trop-idia in subtropical East Asia. Following critical analysis of type specimens...

Nine orchid species from seven genera, namely, Bulbophyllum andersonii (Hook.f.) J.J.Sm., Bulbophyllum roxburghii (Lindl.) Rchb.f., Dendrobium farmeri Paxton, Dendrobium nathanielis Rchb.f., Panisea panchaseensis Subedi, Odontochilus brevistylis Hook.f., Platanthera dulongensis X.H.Jin & Efimov, Porpax elwesii (Rchb.f.) Rolfe and Thelasis longifoli...

Eight orchid species, Bulbophyllum caudatum, Bulbophyllum thaiorum, Bulbophyllum yingjiangense, Habenaria reniformis, Liparis glossula, Oberonia angustifolia, Peristylus aristatus, and Zeuxine augyokuana are added to the orchid flora of Bhutan. The total orchid number for Bhutan now stands at 487 species. A brief description of all the species list...

Based on field observations and examination of preserved specimens, Anoectochilus medogensis is described as a new species from Tibet, China. Phylogenetic evidence using combined plastid regions (matK, trnL-F and rbcL) further supports the systematic status of A. medogensis. A detailed morphological description, photographic plates and line drawing...

Viable populations of threatened orchids can be re‐established in the wild through integrated conservation that combines a scientific understanding of species ecology with applied knowledge of horticultural requirements. Previously abundant in South China, Pecteilis susannae has declined due to habitat loss and collection, both for its magnificent...

Bulbophyllum spathulatum, is new record for Bhutan. Detailed morphological descriptions, updated distribution, phenology, and ecology along with distribution map and colour photographs are provided based on the collected specimens.

Four new additions to the orchid flora of Hong Kong are reported: Calanthe × dominyi, Chrysoglossum assamicum, Gastrodia clausa and Liparis sootenzanensis. Full descriptions, analytical plates and notes on nomenclatural history, affiliations, occurrence, ecology and global conservation status are provided. Type status for Calanthe × dominyi is vali...

Dendrobium hesperis (Seidenf.) Schuit. & P.B.Adams (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae: Dendrobieae), an interesting but lesser‐known orchid, referred to in earlier literature as Flickingeria hesperis Seidenf., was formerly believed to be endemic to the Gori Valley (Uttarakhand), the westernmost orchid hotspot in the Indian Himalayas. Originally described...

The jewel orchid Anoectochilus formosanus Hayata, until now known only from Japan and Taiwan, is reported from Hong Kong for the first time. A detailed description, colour plate, line drawings and notes on ecology, distribution and conservation status are provided.

An overview of the orchid genus Corybas in Vietnam is presented. It was known to be represented by a single species, C. annamensis. In this article, we report two new records, C. himalaicus, and C. geminigibbus. Detailed descriptions, synonyms, type data, information on ecology and phenology, distribution and color plates are provided for all three...

Morphological studies based on the protologues, observations of herbarium specimens and field surveys suggest that Goodyera rosulacea is a synonym of G. brachystegia. According to genetic studies, accessions of G. rosulacea and G. brachystegia form a single clade in the phylogenetic trees obtained from analyses of the nuclear ribosomal DNA ITS regi...

Goodyera araneosa, a new species of Orchidaceae from Wanglang National Nature Reserve, Sichuan, is described and illustrated. It shows close morphological affinity to G. marginata and G. wuana, but can be distinguished from the former on the basis of smaller plant stature and presence of regular white reticulation on the leaves, and from the latter...

Gastrodia gunatillekeorum, a new species in the family Orchidaceae, is described and illustrated from a tropical lowland rainforests of Sri Lanka. It is morphologically close to G. spatulata which is endemic to Indonesia owing to the white flower front with yellowish-orange colour on the inner wall of perianth tube and free part of perianth tube re...

Bulbophyllum trongsaense is described as a new species from Trongsa district of Bhutan. Detailed morphological description, distribution, phenology, ecology and colour photographs are provided along with comparison with B. amplifolium to which it shows closest affinity.

A new species, Dendrobium taprobanium (Orchidaceae), is described and illustrated from the Sabaragamuwa Province in Sri Lanka. The new species is morphologically similar to D. trinervium from Indochina. However, it can be readily distinguished by having a rounded callus with fine glandular hairs at the seam of the hypochile and epichile, while D. t...

Didymoplexiella laosensis is described as a new species from the limestone mountains of Vang Vieng District in central Laos. A detailed description, colour plate, line drawings and conservation assessment are provided, together with morphological comparisons with three allied species in tropical Asia, namely, D. ornata, D. siamensis and D. trichech...

Based on field surveys in Lao PDR conducted during 2012 to 2017, ten new additions to the orchid flora of the country are reported: Bulbophyllum kingii, Cleisostoma nangongense, Dendrobium formosum, Dendrobium hesperis, Dendrobium linguella, Dendrobium pachyphyllum, Didymoplexiella siamensis, Hetaeria oblongifolia, Oberonia acaulis and Vanda coerul...

Descriptions, updated distribution data, conservation status and illustrations of two newly recorded orchids, Odontochilus elwesii and O. putaoensis are provided. An identifi cation key to all four species of Odontochilus now known to occur in Laos is also provided.

The article talks about a new distribution record of an orchid namely, Crepidium aphyllum. Earlier it was known to be endemic to India. A brief description of the plant along with photographs is provided here for easy identification along with notes on phenology and ecology. This species has been globally assessed as Vulnerable.

Calanthe davidii, a rare orchid species was rediscovered after a gap of 119 years in the western Himalaya and it is also a new distribution record for the flora of Himachal Pradesh State. Detailed morphological description, distribution, ecology and conservation status along with colour photographs of the species are provided.

Despite the grave threat illegal wildlife trade poses to species survival, few studies have attempted to link supply and demand data for the same wildlife product. All ca. 29,000 orchid species are listed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and many are protected under domestic legislation...

Gastrochilus gongshanensis was, until recently, only known from the poorly preserved type specimen and because the protologue is deficient in several respects, the delimitation of this species has been difficult to interpret. During a recent field survey, fresh specimens of this species were collected which allow us to elucidate its key characters.

Ｌｕｉｓｉａ ａｐｐｒｅｓｓｉｆｏｌｉａ Ａｖｅｒｙａｎｏｖꎬ ａ ｎｅｗｌｙ ｒｅｃｏｒｄｅｄ ｓｐｅｃｉｅｓ ｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒｉｚｅｄ ｂｙ ｅｒｅｃｔ ａｎｄ ｂｒａｎｃｈｅｄ ｓｔｅｍꎬ ｃｌａｓｐｅｄ ｌｅａｖｅｓꎬ ｇｏｌｄｅｎ ｙｅｌｌｏｗ ｐｅｔａｌｓ ａｎｄ ｌａｂｅｌｌｕｍꎬ ａｎｄ ｌａｂｅｌｌｕｍ ａｄａｘｉａｌｌｙ ｗｉｔｈ ｆｌｅｓｈｙ ｌｏｎｇｉｔｕｄｉｎａｌ ｒｉｄｇｅ ｏｎ ｅｐｉｃｈｉｌｅ ｉｓ ｒｅｐｏｒｔｅｄ ｆｒｏｍ Ｃｈｉｎａ.

Pteroceras dalaputtuwa, a new species, is described from the lowland-wet zone of Sri Lanka. For the first time in the history of plant nomenclature, a new species is named after an elephant, 'Galgamuwa Dala Puttuwa', which was killed for its majestic ivory. The new species shows a close morphological affinity with P. philippinense from the Philippi...

Based on fieldwork and examination of fresh as well as preserved specimens, Goodyera bomiensis and G. wolongensis are reduced under the synonymy of G. brachystegia and G. serpens respectively. Goodyera serpens and G. marginata are reinstated as accepted species, and G. afzelii, previously thought to be restricted to Madagascar and Mozambique, is ad...

Descriptions, updated information on distribution ranges and two illustrations are provided for three orchids newly discovered in Laos, namely, Cheirostylis octodactyla Ames, Peristylus lacertiferus (Lindl.) J. J. Sm. and Vanilla somae Hayata. Cheirostylis pingbianensis K. Y. Lang is reduced to the synonymy of C. octodactyla.

Bulbophyllum medioximum is reported as a new addition to the orchid flora of India along with two new records for the state of Arunachal Pradesh, namely, Herminium macrophyllum and H. edgeworthii. A detailed description supported by the photo plates and updated distribution ranges have been provided.

Cleisostoma schoenorchaefolium is described as a new species from limestone karst in Lao PDR. A detailed description with photographs, line drawings and a conservation assessment are presented. Due to the presence of a combination of unique characters (namely, semi-terete leaves with a subulate apex, a two-chambered spur and a complex pollinarium s...

This work reports the distribution of two rare Zingiberaceae, Globba spathulata and Hemiorchis pantlingii, in Dampa Tiger Reserve, a protected area, located in Mizoram, northeastern India. Both these species have a distribution restricted to the northeastern part of India and the adjoining countries of Bangladesh, Myanmar and northern Thailand. In...

Little is known about levels and patterns of genetic diversity for the entire range of endangered orchids native to China, Korea, and Japan. In this study, we focus on Cypripedium japonicum and suggest three hypotheses: 1) that genetic drift has been a primary evolutionary force; 2) that populations in central and western China harbor higher levels...

Previous studies have shown that levels of genetic diversity in species of the genus Cephalanthera vary depending on breeding systems. In the southern part of the Korean Peninsula, the three self‐compatible, terrestrial orchids Cephalanthera erecta, C. falcata, and C. longibracteata flower synchronously in sympatric populations. The food‐deceptive...

With limited resources for curtailing the escalating biodiversity crisis, a rational means of setting priorities among threatened species is of pre-eminent concern. Combining phylogenetic history and conservation status to estimate the evolutionary distinctiveness that would be lost in the event of a given species becoming extinct has gained moment...

Orchids are one of the largest plant families and are commercially traded for a variety of purposes, including as ornamental plants, medicinal products and food. These markets involve thousands of species, which may be traded legally or illegally, sustainably or unsustainably, and take place at local, national or international scales. In this revie...

Spiranthes himalayensis is described here as a new species based primarily on molecular phylogenetic evidence followed by morphological comparison with other Asian Spiranthes species. It is distributed widely from southern India to tropical China. Phylogenetic analysis shows its close affinity to S. nivea which is endemic to Taiwan. Morphologically...

Oberonia bopannae is described as a new species from Arunachal Pradesh, India and is compared with its allied species, Oberonia gammiei and Oberonia mucronata. Detailed analysis of DNA barcodes, based on ITS and matK, distinguished newly described species from its allied species and also from other species of Oberonia, sequences of which are availa...

Little published information exists about Eulophia obtusa, a showy and distinctive species previously recorded from North India and Nepal. It is here reported from Bangladesh for the first time. The population occurring in Bangladesh may represent a distinct colour form, with pure white instead of bright yellow sepals and petals as in previous reco...

Vegetative propagation (clonal growth) conveys several evolutionary advantages that positively affect life history fitness and is a widespread phenomenon among angiosperms that also reproduce sexually. However, a bias towards clonality can interfere with sexual reproduction and lead to sexual extinction, although a dearth of effective genetic tools...

Oberonia meegaskumburae is described and illustrated from Adam's Peak (Samanala) Nature Reserve, Sri Lanka and differentiated from its close ally, O. weragamaensis on the basis of larger flowers (3 mm long) in former against smaller (2 mm) in latter; longer floral bracts (1.9 mm) in former against shorter (1 mm) in latter; equal size (> 0.2 mm) of...

Pleione arunachalensis, a new species is described from Lower Dibang Valley district of Arunachal Pradesh, North-East India. Detailed descriptions, distribution, ecology, colour photographs and key to identification for Indian Pleione is provided.)

A project to study the phytodiversity of the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot (IBBH) was initiated by Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, Hong Kong, in 2011, with the aim of surveying primary forest fragments and identifying conservation priorities within this expansive but highly threatened ecoregion. Vang Vieng District of Vientiane Province, northe...

A new species, Podochilus warnagalensis is described from Adam's Peak Nature Reserve, Sri Lanka. A key to all species of the genus Podochilus found in Sri Lanka is provided.

Peristylus tentaculatus (Lindl.) J.J. Sm. (Orchidaceae), an orchid native to China, is reported here for the first time from India. Detailed description, notes on distribution and photographs are provided for accurate identification.

A molecular phylogeny of Asiatic species of Goodyera (Orchidaceae, Cranichideae, Goodyerinae) based on the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and two chloroplast loci (matK and trnL-F) was presented. Thirty-five species represented by 132 samples of Goodyera were analyzed, along with other 27 genera/48 species, using Pterost...