Context
The Orchid Park near Kaziranga National Park, Assam, is in news for its full bloom of variety of orchids and acting as treat for the eyes and a paradise for flower lovers.
About the Orchid and its abundance in India
- It is estimated to be around 35,000 species of orchids in the world.
- An approximately 1,314 species are found in India.
- Categorization: Orchids can be broadly categorised into three life forms:
- epiphytic: plants growing on another plants including those growing on rock boulders and often termed lithophyte
- terrestrial: plants growing on land and climbers
- mycoheterotrophic: plants which derive nutrients from mycorrhizal fungi and are attached to the roots of a vascular plant
- Location: Himalayas, North-East India and Western Ghats are said to be the hot spots of orchid species.
- It is also found in Deccan Plateau and Andaman Nicobar Islands.
- North-East India has highest concentration and Western Ghats has highest endemism.
- The highest number of orchid species is recorded from Arunachal Pradesh, followed by sikkim and West Bengal.
- State flower: It is also said to be the State flower of Assam and Meghalaya.
About the Kaziranga National Orchid Park in Assam
- The park was established in 2015.
- Mini-themed village: It is designed as a mini-themed village, and encompasses a natural history museum, rice museum, a cultural centre, a handful of handicraft shops and a restaurant.
- The museum is designed to suit the growth of the orchid.
- The Orchids are said to be the greatest pride of North-East India. Assam is specially known for its wide variety of orchids.
- This park is said to give protection to the wild varieties of orchids. As two species: Dendrobium Assamicum and Hearia Unmola has been extinct from wild.
- The park is also known to have the world’s tiniest orchid.
- It is a leafless epiphyte (a plant that requires another object or plant for physical support).
- The scientific name for it being Taeniophyllum glandulosum.
- Other orchids: The butterfly orchid, pineapple orchid, rabbit orchid, starfish orchid, the joker face and dancing lady orchid are other well known orchids of the park.
- About 850 of them can be found in the Northeast and 402 species are found only in Assam.
- Wild Orchid: The wild orchids are also collected from all across Northeast India.
- It is found in variety of colours — yellow, orange, purple, pink, white and red. “
- It has six petals — five identical and one modular.
