Peristylus stocksii (Hook.f.) Kraenzl.

Peristylus stocksii (Hook.f.) Kraenzl.

Family: Orchidaceae.

Description: A terrestrial (ground) orchid. Roots / Tuberoids: The plant possesses 1–2 ellipsoid tuberoids. Roots are numerous, vermiform, and cylindric. Leaves: Dark green, glabrous, obovate-elliptic, with a wavy margin, acute at the apex, and sheathing at the base. Flowers: Dull green, secund (arranged on one side), and lax on a twisted spike that is 7.5–15 cm long. Floral bracts are longer than the ovary. Dorsal sepal forms a hood with the petals over the column. Labellum (lip) is dull green, shorter than the sepals, trilobed, and clawed. Midlobe is longer than the lateral lobes, straight, and points downwards. Spur is green, clavate (club-shaped), and smaller than the ovary. Flowering and Fruiting: July–August.

Distribution (World & India): 

Global: The genus Peristylus is Indo-Malesian and contains 60–108 species. India: This species is endemic to India. Its type was collected from Concan and Mysore (Karnataka) , and it has been reported from Sahyadri. It was newly recorded in Rajasthan (Mount Abu, Sirohi District). Altitude range: Found at an elevation of 1562 m in Mount Abu, Rajasthan. Habitat: Typically found underneath bushes on rocky substratum with a thin layer of soil.

IUCN Status / Conservation: IUCN Status: Not currently assessed-Not Evaluated (NE).

Conservation Notes: It is described as an endemic orchid with very rare distribution. Only a small population of 10–12 individuals was located at the new distributional site in Rajasthan (Tiwari et al., 2009). The habitat of this species needs to be conserved.

Medicinal Properties & Traditional Uses (in India): No information on medicinal properties or traditional uses was available in the source material.

Chemical Constituents: No information on chemical constituents was available in the source material.

Pharmacological / Therapeutic Effects: No data available.

 

How it’s Used (Preparation, Parts, Varieties): Part used: No information available. Preparation: No information available. Varieties: No information available. Taste / Potency: No information available.

Dose/caution: No information available.

Uses in India (Examples): No specific examples of use in Indian folk or traditional medicine were reported in the source material.

Status & Conservation: Peristylus stocksii is an orchid endemic to India with a very rare distribution. Conservation of its habitat is necessary to protect the small, vulnerable populations.

Tiwari, U.L., A. Kotia, T. Mewada & G.S. Rawat. 2009. New distributional record of an endemic orchid, Peristylus stocksii (Hook.f.) Kraenzl., from Rajasthan. Indian Journal of Forestry 32(1): 149–152.