Pankaj Kumar: 'Best Flora Photograph' Contest to celebrate 15 years of completion of efloraofindia

[Pankaj Kumar]

In 2011, while going through the proof of one of the books, "The wild orchids of Hong Kong", I realised there was a mistake. There was a species, Crepidium acuminatum included in the book and it had two figures plus one plate. To my surprise neither of those two plants on the figures and the plate (of one plant) matched with the species I knew from Western Himalaya and Nepal. However, one of the figures and the colour picture matched with another species Crepidium purpureum, which I also knew from Himalaya. Having seen the wild plants I was sure that one plant was Crepidium purpureum, but then what was the other. Anyways, the book was published as it was. Few years later I found an old plant collected in the wild in our living collection, this was labelled as Malaxis allanii. I was surprised because this was surely very distinct but in the same book it was merged under Crepidium acuminatum. However, there was an issue. Many of these old living plants were also brought from outside Hong Kong to study and compare with local species. How to resolve this? The only way out was to find this plant which was described as Malaxis allanii in 1976 based on a specimen collected in the 1950s from a part of Hong Kong. So the search began and it started with looking at old literature. In old notes from the 1970s I found an old map. This map belonged to an old hiking trip in the 1990s which indicated roughly the site of the species but also indicated that the person who undertook the survey was unable to find the plants of Malaxis allanii at the original site but found at another site. I had already looked into the area and hence, started to think of visiting this particular stream. In 2020, finally after doing a lot of map reading and consultation of old literature, visited Kew to study the original specimens, I was able to find this particular subpopulation along with 2 more subpopulations of the species in the same stream, that too in flowering. I was able to confirm that this plant was indeed the same as the plants in our living collection. However, in my head I wanted to find out the type locality of this species. Hence, I continued my search and in 2021 I found another subpopulation of the species, but in the same stream. My search went on and after a difficult hike in April 2022, I finally found the species in its type locality. How can I say it is the type locality? Because in the 1950s the area was not well developed and hence, if someone wants to hike, he will start with the main stream in the centre. My mistake was, I never went into the main stream, maybe because this was very difficult and risky. At two points, I almost lost my balance and slipped on loose gravel on the slopes and also missed a snake bite which was sitting on the branches. But it was a non-venomous indochinese rat snake.This plant was also in flower and it matched with the plant at all other sites and with the plants in our living collection. Even during my first trip in 2020, I carried ropes and carabineers because it was steep slope and it was raining. Infact I had to use the ropes to pull a few of my friends who accompanied me on this difficult trip. Bottom line is, this was indeed a distinct species seen only after 1950s at its type locality, and hence it needed to be resurrected. The article was finally published in 2022 and we call this plant as , Crepidium allanii (S.Y.Hu & Barretto) Kumar & S.W.Gale. Please find a photograph attached.

FOR FURTHER READING: Kumar, P., J. Li & S.W.Gale. 2022. Integrative analyses of Crepidium (Orchidaceae, Epidendroideae, Malaxideae) shed more light on its relationships with Dienia, Liparis and Malaxis and justify reinstatement of narrow endemic C. allanii. Botanical Journal of Linnean Society 198 (3): 285–305; https://doi.org/10.1093/botlinnean/boab048 

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Pankaj Kumar MSc, PhD, FLS

IUCN-SSC Orchid Specialist Group Asia

Lam Tsuen, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong S.A.R., P.R. China

email: sahani...@gmail.com; pku...@kfbg.org
Phone: +852 9436 6251 (mobile)

[J.M. Garg]

Thanks, Pankaj ji, for the gripping write up.

I know it is so risky. 

True grit combined with Orchid taxonomy.

You are always so involved. That is why we are here. 

Great!!!

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With regards,
J.M.Garg

[Dinesh Valke]

Superb, dear Pankaj. Liked the adventure of meeting your goal. Such determined efforts satisfies the mind thoroughly, knowing that the loose ends are tied up. Thanks for sharing the charming orchid.

Regards.

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[Smita Raskar]

Proud of you Pankaj 

Success only comes after dedication and hard work you proved it 

Many more to come

Thanks for showing cute orchid

Best wishes

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Smita Raskar

308 Disha Residency,
Salaiwada,Sawantwadi 

Mob.09422379568 

[J.M. Garg]

Published on
https://efloraofindia.com/2022/05/22/pankaj-kumar-best-flora-photograph-to-celebrate-15-years-of-completion-of-efloraofindia-on-17-6-22/
Posted it in the efloraofindia Facebook page.
Pl. give it wide publicity in Social media, by posting it in your profile/ groups/ Instagram etc.

On Sun, 22 May 2022 at 16:26, Pankaj Kumar <sahani...@gmail.com> wrote:

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With regards,
J.M.Garg

[Nidhan Singh]

Really great Pankaj Ji....it shows your determination and the love for concealing tough secrets of plant taxonomy, howsoever hard the required field work may be..

Needless to say that your pics are excellent..!!

You always inspire others...!!👍👍

[Dr Pankaj Kumar]

I wanted to add more pics here but I am unable to do so somehow.

The best part was to be able to find a pair of potential pollinators on the flowers. How I decided that this could be pollinator? For a simple reason, the members of same genus were seen pollinating Crepidium acuminatum in western Himalaya. And this pair was having a good time on the flower :)

[Dr Pankaj Kumar]

So i had to prepare ropes and carabineer, unfortunately no pics to show how I used them with my friends.

[Dr Pankaj Kumar]

It started raining while we were still in the middle of the hike, and finally when we reached the top it was around 6:30pm with sky getting dark. We walked down the mountain in dark with our mobile lights. It was great fun, successful hike and not even a single scratch. Special thanks to my friends Den, Bowie, Ruby, Mariah and Kate.

[J.M. Garg]

That is great, Pankaj ji

On Mon, 23 May 2022 at 13:20, Dr Pankaj Kumar <sahani...@gmail.com> wrote:

It started raining while we were still in the middle of the hike, and finally when we reached the top it was around 6:30pm with sky getting dark. We walked down the mountain in dark with our mobile lights. It was great fun, successful hike and not even a single scratch. Special thanks to my friends Den, Bowie, Ruby, Mariah and Kate.

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With regards,
J.M.Garg

[Gurcharan Singh]

Great pictures dear Pankaj

[Aarti S. Khale]

Pankaj Ji,

Beautifully captured and superb clarity as always.

Regards,

Aarti

[J.M. Garg]

Photo from Pankaj Kumar ji along with its story came 3rd, to celebrate 15th anniversary of eFloraofIndia on 17.6.22.
Congrats, Pankaj ji, for your great skills and efforts.

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With regards,
J.M.Garg

[Pankaj Kumar]

Thank you so much Sir and everyone.

Best regards

Pankaj

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With regards,
J.M.Garg

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[Sam Kuzhalanattu]

Stunning image and beautiful story.

Congratulations dear Pankaj ji,

Regards, Sam.

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