Gowhar A Shapoo et al. Evaluation of diversity and habitat types of some orchid species growing in Kashmir Himalaya, Species, 2014, 10(22), 8-13, www.discovery.org.in http://www.discovery.org.in/s.htm © 2014 Discovery Publication. All Rights Reserved Page8 Gowhar A Shapoo ҉ , Zahoor A Kaloo, Seema Singh, Aijaz H Ganie, Burhan M Padder Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Hazratbal- Srinagar- 190 006, India ҉ Correspondence to: Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Hazratbal- Srinagar- 190 006, India, Email: gowharashapoo057@gmail.com Publication History Received: 26 M arch 2014 Accepted: 19 M ay 2014 Published: 3 September 2014 Citation Gowhar A Shapoo, Zahoor A Kaloo, Seema Singh, Aijaz H Ganie, Burhan M Padder. Evaluation of diversity and habitat types of some orchid species growing in Kashmir Himalaya. Species, 2014, 10(22), 8-13 ABSTRACT Orchidaceae is a monocot family of herbaceous perennials that include terrestrial, saprophytic, lithophytic and epiphytic species. It is one of the largest families among angiosperms with 800 genera and about 25, 000 species, distributed worldwide. Orchids comprise the highly evolved and economically important plants bearing the most beautiful and attractive flowers in the plant kingdom. From last 120 years a number of plant explorers have reported the occurrence of orchids from Kashmir Himalaya. In the present study different habitats of Kashmir Himalaya were evaluated for the occurrence of orchids. Ten species (Cephalanthera longifolia L., Cypripedium cordigerum D.Don., Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D. Don) Soo, Epipactis helleborine L., Epipactis royleana Lindley, Goodyrea repens (L.) R.Brown, Listera ovata (L.) R. Brown, Spiranthes sinensis (Persoon) Ames. Satyrium nepalense D.Don., and Oreorchis micrantha Lindley., were recorded. Most of the species are terrestrial. Oreorchis micrantha reported first time by the authors from the Kashmir valley. These orchid species grow within an altitudinal range of 1595 - 4150m asl. Further, during the present investigation a total of three habitat types have been identified which include swamps or marshy lands, shady coniferous forests of sub-alpines and open moist land of alpines. One species Spiranthes sinensis grows in swamps, seven species Cephalanthera longifolia, Cypripedium cordigerum, Epipactis helleborine, Epipactis royleana, Goodyrea repens, Listera ovata, Oreorchis micrantha) grows in shady coniferous forests of sub-alpines and two species (Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Satyrium nepalense) grows in open moist land of alpines. Thus from the present study it is evident that the shady coniferous forests harbor most of the orchid species in Kashmir Himalaya. Key words: orchids, saprophytic, terrestrial, altitudinal range, swamps, coniferous forests, moist alpines. Abbreviations : KASH- Kashmir University Herbarium ANALYSIS • ORCHIDACEAE Species, Volume 10, Number 22, September 3, 2014 Species Evaluation of diversity and habitat types of some orchid species growing in Kashmir Himalaya ISSN 2319 – 5746 EISSN 2319 – 5754