Habenaria intermedia

Habenaria intermedia D. Don

Family: Orchidaceae.

Description: It is a terrestrial orchid, perennial with a tuberous rootstock. Stems arise annually, leafy, somewhat flexuous. Plants typically reach about 50‑75 cm height. Leaves: 2‑4 leaves, sheathing at base; leaves are ovate to ovate‑lanceolate or elliptic, acuminate, 5‑10 × 4.5 cm approximately. Veining 5‑7‑nerved. Inflorescence / Flowers: Raceme up to 20‑25 cm long, dense, bearing several (3‑6) flowers. Flowers greenish‑white to white; sepals and petals forming a hood; lip 3‑lobed with spur, lateral lobes pectinate (filiform segments), mid‑lobe simple linear‑oblong; spur stout, exceeding ovary in many cases. Flowering from about June to September.

Distribution (World & India): Global / general: Found in Himalayas (Nepal, China/Tibet, Pakistan, Bhutan), and northeastern India. Altitude range: Approximately 1,500 to 3,300 m above sea level (some sources give ~1,800‑2,900 m for Indian Himalayas). In India: Found in temperate Himalayan regions: Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, NE India. Occurs in open grassy slopes, open meadows, grasslands.

IUCN Status / Conservation: The species is considered Endangered in IUCN context per some sources. Threats include overharvesting of tubers (for medicinal usage), habitat loss and degradation, low seed germination / seedling establishment, and general pressures on Himalayan orchids.

Medicinal Properties & Traditional Uses (in India): Chemical Constituents: Phytochemicals identified: flavonoids, tannins, steroids, coumarin glycosides; also phenolic compounds such as gallic acid, hydroxyl benzoic acid. Pharmacological / Therapeutic Effects:

Use	Details / Mode of Use
Rejuvenative / tonic (Rasayana)	Part of “Astavarga” group of tonic herbs; used in Chyawanprash and other rejuvenating tonic formulations.
Immune‑booster / Antioxidant	Strong antioxidant potential has been demonstrated in studies; capacity for free radical scavenging.
Aphrodisiac / Brain tonic / Intellect Promoter	Tubers are used in traditional medicine for enhancing cognitive function, sexual vitality.
Depurative / Detoxifying	Used to purify blood / body fluids; skin diseases; leprosy.
Respiratory conditions	Used in asthma.

How it’s Used (Preparation, Parts, Varieties): Part used: Primarily the underground tubers (kanda); also young leaves edible and used. Preparation: Harvesting done after fruiting / when stalk and leaves are dried (around October). Tubers are collected; sometimes cooked as vegetable; used in polyherbal formulations. Storage of tubers may be done by burying in soil, storing in sand, or pits during winter. Varieties: No clearly documented botanical varieties in the sources consulted. Morphological variation exists but no formal varietal classification found.

Uses in India (Examples): Constituent of Ashtavarga, an eight‑herb Rasayana group in Ayurveda. Used in Chyawanprash traditional tonic. Used as brain tonic, aphrodisiac; for skin diseases; asthma; leprosy; also edible tubers and leaves.

Status & Conservation: Rapid decline in wild populations due to indiscriminate digging for medicinal tubers. Categories like “Endangered” used in some local/regional assessments. Conservation strategies: in‑vitro propagation, ex‑situ cultivation, better agronomic methods, germplasm conservation; raising awareness among locals.