Open AccessAn inventory of new orchid (Orchidaceae) records from Kozhikode, Kerala, India
Author(s) -
Mohamed Sulaiman,
C. Murugan,
M. U. Sharief
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
journal of threatened taxa
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.264
H-Index - 8
eISSN - 0974-7907
pISSN - 0974-7893
DOI - 10.11609/jott.7267.14.1.20413-20425
Subject(s) - orchidaceae , epiphyte , species richness , geography , subtropics , ecology , biodiversity , species diversity , biology
Orchidaceae is one of the largest families in the plant kingdom. It has high diversity within the tropical and subtropical parts of the world, and is considered as a characteristic feature to measure forest richness. This study explores the orchid diversity in Kozhikode District, Kerala, India. A total of 57 species belonging to 28 genera were identified within the study region. Among the total, 42 were epiphytic species and 15 species were terrestrial. Additionally, 16 species were identified as endemic to India, of which, 10 species were exclusive to the Western Ghats, four species to the Western and Eastern Ghats, and two species to peninsular India. Previous studies conducted within this region, only recorded 10 species. The present study, however, adds new records of 47 species to the orchid diversity of Kozhikode.