Page 658 - e-Book

Conservation of Threatened Orchid Species Vanda wightii Rchb.f. in

Karnataka

Shreyas Betageri and Prashant Karadakatti*

Department of Botany. Karnataka University Dharwad-580003 Karnataka, India.
*E-mail of corresponding author: prashant.s.k2012@gmail.com

ABSTRACT: On the way from Tarwad and Ramnagar to Anmod ghat Belgaum District,

Karnataka, India we got a rare Orchid species called Vanda wightii, on the previous
examination of this orchid in brief with standard reference sources, based upon reports of this

orchid has been identified and the endangered orchid which is going to become extinct in
future days, as the current report says about this orchid, due to road widenings and other

issues like host plant destruction. As some researchers said the Vanda wightii species was
rare and endangered, unfortunately was rediscovered after long time in Karnataka and Kerala.

Because of this reason the conservation of Vanda wightii is much necessary, and where the

Vanda wightii present along the road side are going to be destroyed due to various problems
like physical factors deficiency and major issues like highway road constructions, due to less

flowering, less pollinators can effects on threatened epiphytes, and it will become extinct in

future days. Therefore, the step taken for the conservation of this rare and threat species
called Vanda wightii. As these issues, we have conserved this orchid in ex-situ conservation

method like, tied to naturally with host plant and some of them maintained in pot mixtures.
KEY WORDS: Epiphytic orchids, threatened species conservation, effects of destruction of

forest area, and natural conservation strategy. Ex-situ Conservation.
INTRODUCTION:

The Orchidaceae family is most diverse of all angiosperm families and it is estimated that

number of orchid species, can varies from 17000 – 35000 (Dressler, 1993). But, according to
a recent estimation, there are 28000 species in the world related to 736 genera (Christenhusz

& Byng, 2017). The family is considered to have originated sometime between 26 to 110
million years ago (Ramírez & al., 2007). The majority of the species are epiphytic (72%),

which are abundant in tropical forests. Orchid distribution and abundance are distinctly
skewed towards the tropics and vary between continents and within regions, following

hotspots of species richness and high angiosperm endemism, as described by Mayers et.al.,

(2000). The Indian subcontinent is also considered primary/secondary center of origin for
orchids. Majority of Indian orchids are found in North eastern region followed by Western

Ghats due to high rainfall and humidity. Orchidaceae was regarded as the largest family of

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