Overview of Indian Plants

  Calanthe triplicata (Willemet) Ames Description: A robust, evergreen terrestrial orchid with large, pleated leaves and showy white flowers. The plant typically reaches heights of 50–100 cm. Roots / Pseudobulbs: The plant has short rhizomes and pseudobulbs that are small and partially buried. Roots are fleshy and fibrous, emerging from the base. Leaves: Large (up to 60 cm long), basal, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, prominently plicate (pleated), soft-textured, and bright green. Flowers: Numerous white flowers borne on a tall, erect raceme (inflorescence up to 1 m tall); lip (labellum) is 3-lobed, with central lobe often yellow or orange near the base; spur short. Flowers are fragrant and bloom typically after the monsoon season. Distribution (World & India): Global: Widespread across tropical and subtropical Asia, Pacific Islands, northern Australia, and parts of East Africa. India: Found in the Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, Northeastern states, and the Andaman & ...

  Hyoscyamus niger L. Description: Erect, hairy, sticky, odorous annual or biennial herb, growing to about 0.75‑1.5 m high under favorable conditions. Leaves: Basal leaves petiolate; leaf blades ovate‑lanceolate to oblong, coarsely toothed or irregularly pinnatifid; cauline leaves sessile or clasping, sometimes lobed. Flowers: Cup‑ or bell‑shaped (campanulate), about 2‑3 cm diameter; yellowish or pale yellow with purple veins, often darker in centre; calyx tubular or campanulate, enlarging in fruit; fruit is capsule (pyxis) that dehisces via a lid. Distribution (World & India): Global / general: Native in temperate Eurasia, NW Africa; widespread in western Asia; introduced into many regions. Altitude range: Typically found in India (Himalayan region) between ~ 1,500 to 3,700 m above sea level. In India: Occurs in western Himalayas from Kashmir to Uttarakhnad. Cultivated in some areas, also found wild in disturbed/waste places and roadsides. IUCN Status / Conservation...

Cypripedium cordigerum D. Don Description: Glabrous erect terrestrial herb. Stem solitary, slender to stout, 22‑60 cm tall. Leaves 2‑5, spreading, elliptic to broadly elliptic (ovate‑lanceolate to elliptic), acute to acuminate, glabrous. Flower solitary (rarely two), terminal; sepals and petals greenish‑white to pale green (occasionally white or pale lemon‑yellow), lip (pouch) white (with inner spotting) often with pinkish markings; staminode yellow with red spots. Pedicel/ovary densely glandular. Flowering & Fruiting period: May‑October (main flowering in July‑August) Distribution (World & India): Global / general : Himalayas (from northern Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, South Tibet, and northern India). Altitude range : ~ 2,100 m to ~ 4,000 m asl. In India: Found in the north‑western Himalayas; recorded in Uttarakhand (Kumaun, Garhwal), Himachal Pradesh, districts like Kullu, Shimla, Sirmaur etc. Often in subalpine to alpine temperate zones, shady moist woods, forest margi...

Habenaria intermedia D. Don 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: Ja...

Aconitum nagarum Stapf Description: It is a perennial herbaceous plant, growing from tuberous rootstock (caudex). Stems are erect, 50–70 cm tall, sometimes reaching up to 1 m, simple or branched, glabrous below and pubescent above. Plant arises from a carrot-shaped or subterete tuberous rootstock. This underground part is presumed to be the primary medicinal component, similar to other Aconitum species. Leaves: Basal leaves are petiolate with blades often pentagonal-reniform in shape, 3-sect or deeply lobed, occasionally to the base. Cauline (stem) leaves are smaller, similar in shape, and fewer in number. Flowers: Inflorescence is a narrow, long raceme, 12–30 cm, bearing 6–25 flowers. Flowers are large, blue to purple, with hooded (“helmet-shaped”) upper sepals. Sepals are pubescent outside. Inner petals glabrous; carpels 5, densely white pubescent. Flowering period is typically around October. Distribution (World & India): Global / General: Native to the Eastern Himalayas an...

Aconitum heterophyllum Wall. ex Royle Description:   It is a perennial herb, with erect stem, often simple or with few branches from base. Height up to about 1 m. Roots / Tubers: The part used medicinally is the tuberous root. Roots are conical/tuberous, often mother and daughter tubers in pairs. The shoot is annual, root is biannual (i.e. roots need two years to develop fully). Leaves: lower leaves petiolate, ovate or cordate at base, shallowly lobed or toothed; upper leaves sessile or stem‑clasping, varying shape. “Heterophyllum” means “different leaves” i.e. leaf shape varies. Flowers: loose racemes or panicled racemes; flowers large (≈ 3‑4 cm), hooded (“helmet‑shaped”), colour white to bluish‑violet or green‑blue with purple veins. Distribution (World & India): Global / general Himalayas : Native to the Western Himalayas; also found in Nepal and adjacent Himalayan regions. Altitude range : Generally between ~ 2,000 m to ~ 4,500 m above sea level. In India : Found ...