To Collect and Identify Orchid Species from Varied Climatic Zones of Himachal Pradesh for Population and Ecological Analysis

Currently, 39 species of orchids have been collected at 78 locations (643-3979 m amsl) in Himachal Pradesh. Among these species are two newcomers to the state flora, Habenaria aitchisonii and H. pubescens. The only two species that didn't grow on the ground were Gastrodia falconeri and Cymbidium macrorhizon, both of which were mycoheterotrophs. The other two, Gastrodia calceolaris and Rhynchostylis retusa, were ground-dwelling. The maximum density of Androcorys monophylla, a species found in a variety of environments including shaded woodlands, shrubby grasslands, grassy slopes, and road embankments, was determined to be 6.54±1.60. The mid-hill (sub-tropical-warm temperate) zone was the most densely populated by the species. There was a significant difference in the maximum frequency of Satyrium nepalense (90%) and Cypripedium cordigerum (20%), which may be explained by differences in environment and fruit set percentage. There was a 1–-1 range for FIS values. Overabundance of homozygotes or a limited population size may both contribute to minimal genetic variability across different morphotypes of a species.