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Malabar Daffodil Orchid
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Malabar Daffodil Orchid
P Native Photo: P.S. Sivaprasad
Common name: Malabar Daffodil Orchid
Botanical name: Ipsea malabarica    Family: Orchidaceae (Orchid family)
Synonyms: Pachystoma malabaricum

Malabar Daffodil Orchid is a rare and beautiful ground orchid forming disc-shaped tubors. It was believed to be extinct, but was rediscovered in 1982 from Silent Valley. Leaves appear after flowers, two, 8-10 cm long, 1-1.5 cm wide, ribbon like, tapering at tip, narrowed into a leaf-stalk like portion below, plicate. Flowering stem is 2-6 flowered, 10-15 cm long; bracts 1-2 on the flower-cluster-stalk and below each flower, 0.8-1.2 cm long, 0.2 cm wide. Flowers are bright yellow, opening partially only. Ovary with flower-stalk is 1-1.5 cm long. Sepals and petals are 1-1.5 cm long. Lip is 3-lobed, pollinia 8. Malabar Daffodil Orchid is endemic to Southern Western Ghats. Flowering: June-July.

Identification credit: P.S. Sivaprasad Photographed in Silent Valley, Kerala.

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