Orchidaceae, Chotanagpur, state of Jharkhand, India

Orchids display a diversified range in terms of shape, size and colour of flowers. They have a unique floral morphology compared to other angiospermic plants. They have minute seeds that are dispersed through air, and that may be why they are distributed throughout the world, except for the hot deserts and Antarctica. Though the family Orchidaceae represents a highly advanced group of plants, they are highly susceptible to even slight changes in environmental conditions. In India, orchids are represented by 1,141 species belonging to 186 genera. The present study was conducted on the Chotanagpur region of India, most of the part of which lies in the state of Jharkhand. A systematic survey was conducted through out the state from April 2002, on foot in different forested regions in different seasons. A checklist of 63 species of orchids recorded from this area is provided. That includes 26 new records.