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Orchid: Satyrium nepalense D. Don,

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Samir Mehta

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Oct 18, 2024, 5:59:40 AM10/18/24
to Efloraofindia
Latin Name: Satyrium nepalense var nepalense [Prodr. Fl.Nepal. 26.1825.]
Date: September 25, 2024.
Location: near Khaliya top road.
Altitude: approx.6700-7000 feet.
Common name (locally): Salang-mishri.

Synonyms:
Satyrium neilgherrensis Fyson; 
Satyrium albiflorum a. Rich.; 
Satyrium henryi Schltr.; 
Satyrium nepalense f. albiflorum (a. Rich.) Tuyama; 
Satyrium nepalense Var. nepalense;
Satyrium pallidum a. Rich.; 
Satyrium perrottetianum a. Rich.; Satyrium wightianum Lindl

Key to varieties: 
Leaves ovate-lanceolate; flowers mostly pink; spurs longer than ovary ------- var. nepalense 
Leaves oblong-lanceolate; flowers usually white, rarely pink; spurs smaller than ovary ------- var.ciliatum


Biome: Temperate

Type: Herb, Terrestrial Orchid.

Habitat (IMG_1190): Seen growing on mountain slope. 

Inflorescence (IMG_1194): Close up view of the erect, terminal spike, >20 flowered.

Flower: small and pinkish white, with a hood-like lip and two spurs, one on each side of the ovary. In Western ghats, the flowers are deeper pink as compared to this post.
 
Leaves: ovate-lance, sheathed at base and smaller towards the top.

Bracts: reddish ovate-lanceolate.

Fruit: Fruiting (single fruit) is seen at the bottom of the spike inflorescence as a brown, fusiform capsule.

Underground tubers produce new plants when the rainy season begins to recede. 
 
Medicinal use: powdered tubers (rhizome) used as an energizing tonic / aphrodisiac. 

Reference: 
1. Floral Gallery of Himalayan Valley of Flowers (2011)& Adjacent Areas, K.R. Keshava Murthy.


3. Notes on a threatened Orchid (Satyrium Sw.) in Sikkim Himalaya A.K. Sahoo & A.A. Ansari     Botanical Survey of India, Sikkim Himalayan Circle, Gangtok.

Different views of the Panchchuli peaks from my homestay in Sarmoli (IMG_9802, IMG_6603 & IMG_0678).

Regards,

Samir Mehta 
Flower,-Satyrium nepalense,-nr-Khaliya-top-road,-25092024,--IMG_1194.jpg
Flower,-Satyrium nepalense,-nr-Khaliya-top-road,-25092024,--IMG_1190.jpg
Landscape,-close-up,-Panchchuli,-25092024,-IMG_0678-HDR.jpg
Landscape,-fine-art,-Munsiari,-25092024,-IMG_0663.jpg
Panchachuli-peaks-panorama,-Sarmoli,-IMG_9802.jpg
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