New orchid species discovered in Arunachal Pradesh
Researchers have discovered a new orchid, Gastrochilus pechei, in Vijoynagar, Arunachal Pradesh—marking its first-ever sighting in India.
Previously known only from Myanmar, the species was collected near the Myanmar border at 1,200 meters by Vinay Kumar Sahani, Minom Pertin, and Khyanjeet Gogoi in September 2024.
Their findings have been published in the latest issue of Lankesteriana, an international journal from Costa Rica.
Distinct flower shape, structure
Gastrochilus pechei stands out for its distinct flower shape and structure.
It blooms around September-October and grows on small trees by riverbanks in moist evergreen forests.
With this addition, Arunachal Pradesh would host 16 of India's 23 known Gastrochilus species.
Importance of discovery
This discovery highlights how closely linked northeastern India's plants are with those of Myanmar.
Arunachal Pradesh is already a biodiversity hotspot—home to about 60% of all Indian orchids—making finds like this important for conservation and future research.