A Note on the Occurrence of Luisia unguiculata (Orchidaceae) in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Abstract

ABSTRACT The present paper con irms the occurrence of Luisia unguiculata J.J.Sm. (Orchidaceae) in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Detailed description, photographic plate and ecological notes have been provided for the species.

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Nelumbo Vol 62 (1): (50-53) 2020 ISSN (Print) : 0976-5069
10.20324/nelumbo/v62/2020/152396 ISSN (Online) : 2455-376X
Submitted : 23.3.2020 Accepted : 28.6.2020 Date of Publication 31.07.2020
A Note on the Occurrence of Luisia unguiculata (Orchidaceae) in
Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India.
Sanjay Mishra1*, Jeewan Singh Jalal2, Vivek C.P.3, Gautam Anuj Ekka3,
Dinesh Kumar Agrawala4 and Lal Ji Singh3
1*Botanical Survey of India, Arid Zone Regional Centre, Jodhpur–342005
2Botanical Survey of India, Western Regional Centre, Pune–411001.
3Botanical Survey of India, Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre, Port Blair–744 102
4Botanical Survey of India, Sikkim Himalayan Regional Centre, Gangtok–737103.
*Corresponding Author: sanjayalld74@gmail.com
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ABSTRACT
The present paper conirms the occurrence of Luisia unguiculata J.J.Sm. (Orchidaceae) in Andaman and Nicobar Islands,
India. Detailed description, photographic plate and ecological notes have been provided for the species.
KEY WORDS: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, Luisia, Orchidaceae.
INTRODUCTION
 e genus Luisia (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae:
Vandeae) was established by Charles Gaudichaud-
Beaupre in Louis de Freycinet’s Voyage sur I’Uranie et
La Physiciennein 1826.  e genus comprises about 40
species distributed in Sri Lanka, India, Bhutan, China,
 ailand, Indo-China, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, New
Guinea and the Paci c Islands (Pridgeon & al., 2014).
In India, 18 species of Luisia have been reported (Singh
& al., 2019); mainly distributed in North-eastern states,
North-west Himalaya, Peninsular India and Andaman
and Nicobar Islands (Abraham & Vatsala, 1981; Deva
& Naithani, 1986; Chowdhery, 1998; Karthigeyan & al.,
2014).
 e species has a very limited distribution and reported
from Timor of the Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia.
Scrutiny of the relevant literature revealed that other
than Timor, the occurrence of this species in India from
Andaman & Nicobar Islands was mentioned in the
checklist by Pandey & Diwakar, 2008. Later, Karthigeyan
& al., 2014 reviewed orchid diversity in Andaman
and Nicobar Islands and reported occurrence of  ve
species of genus Luisia (L. balakrishnanii S. Misra, L.
brachystachys (Lindl.) Blume, L.recurva Seidenf., L. tristis
(G.Forst.) Hook.f. (= L. teretifolia Gaud.; L. zeylanica
Lindl), L. zollingeri Rchb.f.) in Andaman and Nicobar
Islands. While the occurrence of other three species
namely L. amesiana Rolfe, L. tenuifoliaBlume and L.
unguiculata J.J. Sm. were considered as doubtful due to
lack of the details of any locality, herbarium specimen
and description. However, during the  eld expedition
for the project Flora of Kyd, Pitman and James Islands
wildlife Sanctuary (allotted to Sanjay Mishra, Vivek
C.P. and Gautam Anuj Ekka), few plants of Luisia were
collected in vegetative condition from a littoral forest of
Kyd and Pitman Islands.  ey were introduced in the
orchidarium of Dhanikhari experimental garden cum

Sanjay Mishra, Jeewan Singh Jalal, Vivek C.P., Gautam Anuj Ekka, Dinesh Kumar Agrawala and Lal Ji Singh
51
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Fig. 1. Luisia unguiculata J.J. Sm. a. habit; b & c. In orescence.

A Note on the Occurrence of Luisia unguiculata (Orchidaceae) in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
52 www.nelumbo-bsi.org Nelumbo
Fig. 2. Luisia unguiculata J.J. Sm. a. Flower front view; b. Flower back view; c. Dorsal sepal; d. Lateral sepals; e. Petals; f. Lip front view; g. Lip
back view; h. Side view of lip, column & ovary; i. Front view of lip & column; j. Column; k. Anther cap.; l. Pollinarium.

Sanjay Mishra, Jeewan Singh Jalal, Vivek C.P., Gautam Anuj Ekka, Dinesh Kumar Agrawala and Lal Ji Singh
53
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arboretum of Botanical Survey of India at Nayasahar.
A er one year, the plants bloomed in the garden. Based
on the morphological characters,  oral characters,  eld
observation, on perusal of literature (Seidenfaden, 1971)
and earlier collections, the identity of the plant was
con rmed as L. unguiculata J.J. Sm.  erefore, the present
paper con rms and re-establishes the occurrence of L.
unguiculata J.J. Sm. in Andaman and Nicobar Islands,
India. A Detailed description along with a photographic
plate and ecological notes have been provided herewith.
TAXONOMIC TREATMENT
Luisia unguiculata J.J. Sm., Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitz.3 Ser.,
8: 65. 1926; Seidenf. Dansk Bot. Ark. 27 (4): 46,  g.23.
1971. (Fig. 1 & 2).
Monopodial, epiphytic herbs. Roots 1–3 mm thick,
vermiform. Stem erect, robust, terete, 25 –40 cm long,
4–5 mm diameter, covered by tubular sheathing leaf base,
internodes 1.6–2.5 cm long. Leaves terete, 15–28 cm
long, 0.4 cm diameter, apex apiculate. In orescence extra
axillary, erect, 0.6–0.7 cm long; peduncle short; rachis
densely 4–6  owered, successively opening. Floral bracts
4 × 2 mm, persistent, amplexicaul, broadly triangular.
Ovary and pedicel 10–12 mm long. Flowers 1– 1.5 cm
across, sepals greenish-yellow, petals light green, lip
dark maroon in greenish-yellow background. Sepals and
petals spreading, unequal, dorsal sepal 5–5.8 × 3–3.7
mm long, oblong-elliptic, apical margin incurved, acute;
lateral sepals 6.5 × 2.7 mm, concave, boat shaped, strongly
keeled dorsally. Petals 7.5–8.5 × 2.8–3.4 mm long,
oblong, obtuse, 3-veined. Lip parallel to ovary,  eshy, 8.6
× 4.7 mm, 3-lobed; hypochile conspicuous, long, clawed,
deeply concave, with 2 rounded, erect auricular side
lobes; epichile heart-shaped in outline, strongly convex,
furrowed with 7 longitudinal thick furrows, margin
entire, apex obtuse. Column cream-coloured, straight,
2.8 × 1.65 mm; clinandrium cordate, concave; anther
cap 1.75 × 1.4 mm, semi-orbicular, truncate, indistinctly
two chambered; pollinia 2, yellow, 1.3 × 1.0 mm, oblong,
apices rounded, obliquely, deeply perforate, stipes more
or less rectangular, hyaline, 1.1 × 0.8 mm, viscidium
rectangular, 0.7 × 0.7 mm, pale brown; stigma large,
more or less obovate; rostellum beaked in front.
Flowering and Fruiting: July–November.
Habitat: Epiphytic, found on tree trunks near sea shore
and open canopy areas in tropical evergreen forest, o en
growing on Bruguiera gymnorhiza(L.) Lam., Heritiera
littoralisAiton., Lagerstroemia hypoleucaKurz, Manilkara
littoralis (Kurz) Dubard, Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre,
Terminalia bialata (Roxb.) Steud.. Naturally found in
littoral forest areas of Kyd and Pitman Islands, South
Andaman, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. (Fig. 3).
Distribution: India: (Andaman & Nicobar Islands);
Indonesia.
Specimen examined: India, Andaman and Nicobar
Islands, South Andaman, Kyd Island,11°57.39’N &
92°44.52’E, 24m, 22.01.2016, Sanjay Mishra & party
32502 (PBL) .
Note: Seidenfaden (1971) suggested that L. unguiculata
could not be separated from L. javanica J. J. Sm.
comparing Smith’s description. However, L. unguiculata
can be easily distinguished from L. javanica by its broader
convex epichile with seven longitudinal thick furrows
and broader petals.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
 e authors are thankful to Director, Botanical Survey
of India, Kolkata, for providing facilities and constant
support.  anks are also due to the Forest Department,
Andaman & Nicobar Islands, for extending logistic
support during  eld visits.
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