Vikas Kumar

CSIR - Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology | IHBT · Environmental Technology Division

Neottia bicallosa X.H. Jin, a Himalayan endemic species was earlier reported from China. A new population of this species was discovered from the alpine meadows of Dibang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh, India. Here, we report Neottia bicallosa, as a new distributional record for the flora of India. A detailed description along with photographs, illustra...

Plant Systematics: Present Status and Future Prospects

Maesa kurzii Mez (Primulaceae) is rediscovered from Namdapha National Park of Arunachal Pradesh in India, after a gap of nearly 150 years, after the initial collection of type material from Patkoye Mountain. The present collection extends the distributional range of the species to the northeastern region of the country. A detailed taxonomic account...

In the present communication, the distribution of two species, Acronema hookeri (C.B.Clarke) H.Wolff and Impatiens falcifera Hook.f. has been discussed. The latter is recorded here as a new distributional record, whereas the former is reported as the first authentic record from Arunachal Pradesh. Short descriptions, notes, and field photographs are...

The aim of current work was to determine essential oils (EOs) composition from three Eucalyptus species, including E. citriodora, E. camaldulensis and E. globulus and assess their α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The EOs were collected using the hydrodistillation technique and characterized by GC/MS, GC-FID and NMR. The isolated EOs from leaves p...

Morina ludlowii (M.J. Cannon) D.Y. Hong, a threatened and endemic species of Himalaya, has been rediscovered after a gap of 84 years from Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh, India. In the present communication taxonomic treatment, conservation status, field photographs and key to the species found in India are provided.

The species Ainsliaea fulvipes Jeffrey et W. W. Sm. (Asteraceae) erstwhile considered as endemic to China is reported here first time from Zemithang, Arunachal Pradesh (India). Detailed descriptions, along with habitat photographs are provided to facilitate its easy identification.

The present paper reports Persicaria microcephala (D. Don) H. Gross (Polygonaceae) as a new distributional record for Himachal Pradesh. A detailed description along with field photographs and dissected floral parts of the species is provided for easy identification.

Four lesser-known species viz. Alangium alpinum (C.B. Clarke) W.W. Sm. & Cave (Cornaceae), Euphrasia officinalis L. (Orobanchaceae), Geranium refractum Edgew. & Hook.f. (Geraniaceae) and Sedum filipes F.B. Forbes & Hemsl. (Crassulaceae) are collected from Zemithang and Bumla area of the Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh and reported here first t...

The present study was conducted in the Namdapha National Park (NNP), eastern Himalaya which is India’s largest Dipterocarpus dominant lowland tropical rainforest. The aim of this study was to examine the spatial pattern of climber species composition and its relationship with tree and environment attributes. Field data was collected by establishing...

German chamomile (M. chamomilla) is recognized as a star herb due to its medicinal and aromatic properties. This plant is found across a wide range of climatic and soil conditions. Both the flower heads and blue essential oils of German chamomile possess several pharmacological properties of an anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antispas...

The present study deals with first-hand information on quantitative assessments of different vegetation layers (viz. trees, saplings, seedlings, shrubs and herbs) collected from 57 permanent plots (size 400 m 2), established for long-term monitoring of biodiversity and study of functional aspects in Namdapha National Park (NPP), Arunachal Pradesh,...

Bunium persicum is an important perennial, medicinal and aromatic plant, which is widely adapted throughout the arid to semi-arid cold desert regions of medium to high altitude. It has many properties in its seeds and essential oil like culinary, antimicrobial, stimulants, anticonvulsant, restorative, diuretic and carminatives, which make it demand...

The present paper reports Hedychium flavescens as a new record to the flora of Himachal Pradesh. The detailed description, photo-illustration and field notes are provided to facilitate easy identification of the species.

Trigonostemon viridissimus var. chatterjii (Deb & G.K. Deka) N.P. Balakr. & Chakrab. (Euphorbiaceae), a rare and endemic taxon is reported here as a new distributional record for the state Arunachal Pradesh. It was earlier known only from two localities of Meghalaya in India. Detailed taxonomic description along with field photographs are provided...

A new freshwater diatom species, Gomphonema adhikarii sp. nov., is described from a small road-side pool from the alpine region of Arunachal Pradesh, Eastern Himalayas, India. Detailed valve morphological features, based on both light and scanning electron microscopy, is presented and this taxon is compared with similar species. Gomphonema adhikari...

Codonopsis bhutanica Ludlow, a lesser-known endemic species to central and eastern Himalaya, collected for the first time from Arunachal Pradesh, India. The species was previously known only from Bhutan and Nepal. The species is reported here with a detailed taxonomic description along with habitat image, a photo-plate illustrating different featur...

Corallodiscus cooperi (Craib) B.L. Burtt is reported here as a new record for India. The IUCN Red-listed Vulnerable species was earlier known only from Bhutan and has been collected for the first time from outside the country, from Zemithang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh. A detailed description along with images and notes are provided to facilitate i...

Manipur is one of the eight states of North-East India placed inside square area 23°83’–25°68’N and 93°03’–94°78’E. The natural vegetation of the state falls under the Indo-Myanmar Biodiversity Hotspot area with rich flora and fauna. In the present paper, 389 taxa of orchids (including 7 new records to Manipur) belonging to 90 genera, are listed an...

The phytosociological attributes of temperate forests were investigated in the Upper Range, Neora Valley National Park (NVNP), Eastern Himalaya. The area was grouped into three altitudinal zones viz., lower, middle and upper temperate and tree species were sampled at three life stages (seedlings, saplings and mature trees). The average species rich...

Bretschneidera sinensis Hemsley, an IUCN Red Listed Endangered tree species has been collected from Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh, India which constitutes the first distributional record of the monotypic genus Bretschneidera and the family Akaniaceae in India. Lectotypification of the name Bretschneidera sinensis propo...

Cymbidium nanulum Y.S. Wu & S.C. Chen (Orchidaceae), an IUCN Red listed endangered species, is now recorded from Senapati District of Manipur, India, for the first time. Coloured photographic images of the species, along with a taxonomic description, have been provided in order to facilitate easy identification.

Based on morphological studies of fresh material Acampe rigida is reduced to a variety of A. praemorsa. Types are designated for Acampe carinata and A. excavata.

A new species Thrixspermum indicum is described and illustrated from Northeast India. It is allied to T. carnosum, T. muscaeflorum and T. trichoglottis but quite distinct from all these species in having broadly triangular lateral lobes of lip with acute incurved tips and absence of hairs on the inner surface, margins of mid-lobe and side lobes of...

Cymbidium hengbungense sp. nov. is more allied to C. macrorhizon Lindl. in having subterranean, branched rhizome but differs in having roots and leaves. It is also similar to C. tertipetiolatum Lui & Chen in having subterranean rhizome and leaves but it can be distinguished by the sessile and achlorophyllous shorter (18-22 cm long) leaves which mat...

A new orchid species, viz. Sarcoglyphis manipurensis, is described and illustrated from Imphal east and Chandel districts of Manipur in northeast India. It's distinguishing characters and affinity with S. mirabilis (Rchb.f.) Garay is discussed. An updated artificial key to all known species of Sarcoglyphis is provided.

Two orchid species viz. Erythrodes hirsuta (Griff.) Ormerod and Phalaenopsis yingjiangensis (Z.H. Tsi) Kocyan & Schuit. are reported as new distributional records to Manipur. Both the specie are described in detail along with phenological data, distribution and taxonomic notes. Colour plates of plant habit and floral dissections are also provided f...

Critical study of Types, protologues, fresh and herbarium specimens of Herminium monorchis (Linnaeus) Robert Brown and Herminium haridasanii Nageswara Rao has revealed their conspecificity. Accordingly, the later has been reduced here as a heterotypic synonym of Herminium monorchis. Taxonomic consequences of both the taxa have been discussed. A det...

Tropidia namasiae C.K. Liao, T.P. Lin & M.S. Tang is reported as a new distribution record to the orchid flora of India from Manipur. Color illustration of the taxon is provided in support of the taxonomic treatment. An artificial key is given for identification of all species of Tropidia hitherto reported from India.

Goodyera viridiflora (Blume) Lindl. ex Dietr. is reported as an addition to the orchid flora of Manipur, India. Detailed description along with colour illustrations of dissected parts of the species is provided to facilitate easy identification.

Aphyllorchis montana H.G. Reichenbach (Orchidaceae) is reported as an addition to the orchid flora of Manipur. A detailed description, distribution and coloured illustrations and details are provided for its easy recognition

Eulophia ochreata Lindl. (Orchidaceae), an endemic species to India is reported for the first time from North-East India. Detailed description along with, illustration provided for easy identification.

The present communication reports the first authentic specimen of Eulophia spectabilis (Dennst.) Suresh from Uttarakhand.

Typification of Cyrtopera mannii H.G. Reichenbach [=Eulophia mannii (H.G. Reichenbach) J.D. Hooker] is discussed and a lectotype is selected for this species.

Eulophia ochreata Lindl. (Orchidaceae), an endemic species to India is reported for the first time from North-East India. Detailed description along with, illustration provided for easy identification.

The study o f herbarium specimens and pertinent literature with regard to Herminium jaffreyanum King & Pantl. has revealed that the species should be transferred to the genus Androcorys Schltr. Accordingly a new combination is proposed.

The critical study of the relevant literatures, type image, herbarium and living specimens of Herminium macrophyllum (D. Don) Dandy revealed that this species clearly belongs to the genus Peristylus Blume and should not be treated in the genus Herminium. Therefore, a new combination is proposed to transfer Herminium macrophyllum (D. Don) Dandy to t...

Oreorchis patens (Orchidaceae) is recorded for the first time from India. its detailed description supplemented by photo-plates and information on habitat, phenology and distribution is provided. An artificial key to all taxa occurring under the genus Oreorchis in India is also provided. Its threat status in India context is accessed by applying IU...

The critical study of the relevant literatures, type image, herbarium and living specimens of Herminium macrophyllum (D. Don) Dandy revealed that this species clearly belongs to the genus Peristylus Blume and should not be treated in the genus Herminium. Therefore a new combination is proposed to transfer Herminium macrophyllum (D. Don) Dandy to th...

Neottia chandrae Raskoti et al. described from Nepal is reported as an addition to the orchid flora of India from the Valley of Flowers National Park, Uttarakhand. A detailed description, ecology, phenology, distribution and photo-plate for the species is provided.

The paper describes and illustrates Cryptostylis arachnites (Blume) Hassk.- a species of the lesser known genus, and reconfirms its occurrence in Meghalaya (North East India).

Cordia macleodii (Griff.) Hook. f. & Thoms. (Family-Boraginaceae), a rare and endangered medicinal plant, is commonly known as 'Dahipalas' or 'Dahiman'. It is distributed in Chota Nagpur, Central India, Konkan, North Kanara and Deccan, and is widely used against various disorders in Indian system of medicine. The HPTLC, physico-chemical, phytochemi...