New orchid species discovered in Arunachal Pradesh’s Lohit district

A team of Indian botanists has identified a new leafless orchid species, Gastrodia lohitensis, in Arunachal Pradesh's Lohit district, adding a rare find to the nation's list of endemic flora.

Found in bamboo thickets around Tezu, the orchid presents unique adaptations, thriving without sunlight by extracting nutrients from fungi in decomposing leaf litter.

Led by Krishna Chowlu from the Botanical Survey of India, the team documented the discovery during May 2024 expedition. Standing 50-110 cm tall, the orchid’s defining features include a pair of linear calli and ridges on its flower lip, setting it apart from closely related species in Southeast Asia.

Named after Lohit district, Gastrodia lohitensis flourishes only in dense, shaded bamboo canopies, underlining its limited ecological niche.

With just a small range in the district, Gastrodia lohitensis faces pressures from local land use, including bamboo harvesting and agriculture, leading researchers to categorise it as "Endangered" under preliminary IUCN criteria. 

Conservationists stress that the survival of this rare orchid depends on protecting its fragile habitat in Arunachal Pradesh’s biodiverse landscape, which continues to yield discoveries with global botanical significance.