
Nervilia
aragoana
Gaud.
ORCHIDACEAE
Vernacular
names:
Hindi
-
Sthala
padma, Sthala kamal
Malayalam
-
Orila
tamara, Nila tamara, Kal tamara
Sanskrit - Padma karini
Tamil - Orilai thamarai
Threat status:
Lower Risk
near threatened
-
KA
Vulnerable (A 1 c) - KL
Endangered (A 1 c) - TN
Habit:
Tuberous
terrestrial herb
Habitat:
In humid
shady localities of dense forests, rarely in wet grassy slopes
of moist deciduous forests
Altitude:
300
-
900
m
Distribution: Global:
Indo-Malaysia, Pacific and Australia. National: Recorded
in the Himalayan region and southern India. Regional:
Occasional in the higher altitudes of Western Ghats in
Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Rare in Eastern Ghats of
Andhra Pradesh.
Description:
Terrestrial single-leaved herbs, with underground tubers.
Tubers spherical to egg-shaped, 1-2 cm across, white,
fleshy. Leafsingle, more of less round-shaped, 10-25 cm
diameter, base deeply heart-shaped, apex rounded to acute,
margin wavy and coarsely toothed, hairless, green with purple
shade on both surface and with prominent 9-15 ribs from the
base; leaf stalks 10-20 cm long, greenish purple, with a
distinct groove in the middle. Flowers usually 3-5
or even more, bisexual, greenish yellow, about 2 cm long,
confined at the tip of 20-30 cm long flowering scapes. Lip
3-lobed, white with purplish veins and yellowish throat.
Phenology: Flowering & Fruiting:
March to
July
Notes:
Included
in the negative list of exports notified by Govt. of India
(Notification 2 (RE-98) dt 13.4.98, 1997-2002).
Medicinal uses:
Tubers
used in postnatal treatments.
Trade
information:
Local and
regional. Tubers may be adulterated with other Nervilia
species. Tubers were priced at Rs.3.50/Kg. (Kerala, 1993).
Mode of
propagation:
By tubers
Special
characters:
This
curious orchid draws immediate attention by its single,
round-shaped and long-stalked leaf jutting above the soil
surface. The leaf nerves on the upper surface forms distinct
furrows. Leaves and flowers not appearing simultaneously, is a
unique character of this ephemeral orchid.