Plants 35–65 cm tall. Tuber oblong 2–3.5 X 1.2 cm. Stem cylindrical, leafy, basal portion covered with clasping tubular sheaths, 2–5 cm. Leaves 4-6, sessile, alternate, elliptic, 7–9 X 2–3 cm, becoming smaller up the stem, sheathing at base; sheaths clasping; acute, distinctly 3-veined. Inflorescence   15–25 cm, subdensely many-flowered; rachis glabrous, raceme 16 cm, peduncle slightly pubescent. Fertile bracts leaf-like, narrowly lanceolate, 2.5–4.2 X 0.5–0.9 cm, acute, margins minutely glandular-pubescent, becoming smaller up the rachis, 3-veined. Flowers   sepals and petals greenish-yellow, lip greenish-white; 3–3.5 cm across. Pedicel and ovary glandular-pubescent, 2–2.5 cm. Sepals slightly unequal. Dorsal sepal  erect, forming hood, ovate, 15 X 5 mm, 3-veined. Lateral sepals  spreading, subfalcate, elliptic, 15–20 X 5–7 mm, 5-veined. Petals  oblong, oblique, 15–18 X 4–5 mm, dilated, gibbous at the base, margins glandular-pubescent. Lip 3-lobed, spurred, base to mid-lobe 2–2.5 cm; lateral lobes deeply pectinate-fimbriate, ca. 14 mm, inner margin minutely glandular-pubescent; mid-lobe simple, linear-oblong, ca. 12 mm, tapering, obtuse, margins minutely glandular-pubescent; spur  cylindric, clavate, 3–3.5cm,, as long as or slightly longer than the ovary. Column ca 3mm.    
Distribution: Western, Central, Eastern Nepal; NW India, NE India, Bhutan and China.

Altitudinal range: 900 – 3000 m.

Ecology: Growing on shady places, grassy field and exposed slope.

Flowering time: June to September.

Orchis commelinifolia Roxb. Fl. Ind. 3: 451 (1832).

Plant 40–70 cm tall. Tuber ellipsoid, 2.5–5 X 1 cm. Stem cylindrical, glabrous, leafy, basal portion covered with clasping tubular sheaths; sheaths 2 or 3. Leaves 4–6, alternate, margins pale or white, oblong or oblong-lanceolate, 9–12 X 2–3.5 cm, sheathed at base; sheaths clasping; acute, subcoriaceous, 5-veined,. Inflorescence 14–17 cm, laxly many-flowered, raceme  8–13 cm. Fertile bracts  lanceolate, shorter or equaling the ovary, 2–3 (-4) X 0.3–0.5 cm, acuminate, ciliolate along the margins, scaberulous on both surfaces. Fertile bracts linear- lanceolate, as long as or longer than flower. Flowers   uniformly white, spur green,1.5–2 cm across. Pedicel and ovary sessile, broad below, getting long tapering above 3–3.5 cm. Sepals slightly unequal, scaberulous. Dorsal sepal  suborbicular, 5–7 X 7 mm, apex acute, with short recurved beak, saccate.  Lateral sepals  gibbously hatchet-shaped, 10–12 X 7 mm, beaked, oblique, veins deeply arched. Petals  oblong, narrow, 6 X 2 mm. Lip 3-lobed, spurred, divided into 3 long slender segments at the base, 3–4 cm from its base to the tip of mid segments; lateral segments curved downwards 3cm  from the point of bifurcation; mid-segment channeled, shorter than the lateral segments, 2.5 cm from the point of bifurcation; spur   slender, curved, funnel-shaped at the upper end, 3.5–6 cm, longer than the ovary. Column ca. 1 cm.  

Distribution: Western, Central Nepal; NW India, India (U.P. Plains, Madhya Pradesh, Bombay, Bengal, Bihar, Orissa) Myanmar, Indo-China, Thailand and Vietnam.

Altitudinal range: 800 – 3000 m.

Ecology: Growing on shady places, grassy field and exposed slope.

Flowering time: July to September.

Orchis dentata Sw., Vet. Acad. Haudl. Stockh. 21: 207 (1800).

Plants 30–80 cm tall. Tuber ellipsoid 2–3.5 X 1.5 cm. Stem terete; basal sheaths tubular, 1–4 cm. Leaves 3, sessile, oblong-elliptic, 5–11 X 2–3 cm, with tubular sheathing base, acute. Inflorescence 5–43 cm; rachis glabrous, laxly few to many-flowered, 5–9 cm. Sterile bracts  lanceolate to linear lanceolate, 3–4 cm, acuminate.  Fertile bracts  linear-lanceolate, 1.5–2.5 X 0.1–0.3 cm, acuminate. Flowers sepals and petals white with green veins, lip white, spur green, ca 2 cm across. Pedicel and ovary slender 2–2.3 cm. Sepals slightly unequal. Dorsal sepal erect, ovate to broadly ovate, 12 X 7 mm, obtuse. Lateral sepals  spreading, broadly ovate, 8–12 X 6 mm, acute. Petals  oblong, shorter than sepals, 8 X 2.5 mm, subacute, curved inwards. Lip 3-lobed, spurred, 12 x 14 mm, as long as or longer than sepals, suborbicular to broadly obcordate in outline, shortly clawed at the base; lateral lobes, ovate, margins fimbriate to crenulate; mid-lobe small and much shorter, tongue shaped; spur longer than ovary, funnel shaped, slender, ca 3.8 cm,. Column ca. 3mm.

Distribution: Eastern, Central Nepal; NE India, Bhutan, Myanmar, China, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia and Philippines.

Altitudinal range: 600 – 1500 m.

Ecology: Growing on shady places, grassy field.

Flowering time: September – October.

Plants 25–50 cm tall. Tuber 1 or 2, oblong, ca 2.5 X 1 cm. Stem cylindrical, leafy, glabrous, basal portion covered with clasping tubular sheaths; sheaths 3–4 cm. Leaves 5 to 7, crowded near the middle, alternate, oblong-lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, 4–9 X 2–3.5 cm, sheathed at the base, sheath clasping, acute to acuminate, margins undulate, sparsely pubescent, 3-veined. Inflorescence  14–16 cm, sparsely hairy laxly many-flowered, raceme 8 cm.  Fertile bracts  narrowly lanceolate, as long as or slightly longer than the ovary,18 X 4 mm, acuminate. Flowers green or greenish-white, ca 1.5 cm across. Pedicel and ovary 15–18 mm. Sepals unequal. Dorsal sepal  erect, suborbicular or ovate, 8 X 4 mm, its apex bluntly acuminate, recurved. Lateral sepals  lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, subfalcate, 9 X 4 mm, deflexed tips filiform, recurved. Petals deeply bipartite, filiform ca.10 mm. Lip  3-partite; spurred, 1.8-2.2 cm, lateral lobes 10 X 0.5 mm, filiform, decurved; mid-lobe 19 X 0.5 mm, filiform; spur  clavate, shorter than the ovary, 10-12 mm,. Column ca. 2 mm.

Distribution: Central, Eastern Nepal; NW India, NE India, India (Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Bengal, Rajasthan, W Ghats, Deccan, Mysore), and Myanmar.

Altitudinal range: 260 – 1500 m.

Ecology: Growing on shady places.

Flowering time: April to June.

Plants 10–20 cm tall. Tubers ovoid or ellipsoid, 0.5—1.5 cm. Stems glabrous.  Leaves 2, nearly opposite at base, spreading on ground; base contracted into amplexicaul sheath; blade cordate or reniform, 3–3.5 X 3–4 cm, apiculate,  7-veined. Inflorescence  12.5–19 cm, laxly many-flowered, raceme 5–8 cm, scape with distant oblong-lanceolate sterile bracts. Sterile bracts  9 X 2 mm, acuminate. Fertile bracts lanceolate, shorter than the ovary, 7 X 2 mm. Flowers green, 8–10 mm across. Pedicel and ovary, glabrous, 10 mm long. Sepals slightly unequal, 3-veined. Dorsal sepal  concave, ovate, 4 X 3 mm, acute. Lateral sepals spreading, ovate, 5 X 2 mm, acute. Petals  erect, subfalcate, linear, 3 X 1mm. Lip 12 mm, 3-lobed, spurred, lateral lobes 6–7 mm long, filiform, apex recurved-coiled, lateral lobes longer than mid-lobe, filiform; spur pendulous slightly curved at base, clavate, shorter than the ovary , 7 mm. Column 2 mm.

Distribution: Eastern Nepal; NW Himalaya, Peninsular India Myanmar, Southern China, Thailand and Philippines.

Altitudinal range: 800 m.

Ecology: ?

Flowering time: August to September

 Note: Banerji & Pradhan described H. diphylla as new record for Nepal (1984) based on the herbarium deposited at KATH. Their description and herbarium labeled as H. diphylla at KATH shows that the specimen is H. reniformis.

Plants 30–40 cm tall. Tuber fusiform, 3–4 X 1–1.5 cm. Stem glabrous, bracted  (sterile bracts) above leaves, sheathing near the base (below leaves); sheaths overlapping, tubular, 2–4 cm . Leaves 3–5, alternate, clustered below the middle of the stem, narrowly elliptic, 6–10 X 2–3.5 cm, shortly petiolate, narrowed to the sheathing base; sheaths 1.5 cm, acute,.   Inflorescence   24–32 cm, laxly many-flowered, raceme 8–12 cm. Fertile bracts  lanceolate, becoming smaller up rachis,  as long as shortly stalked ovary, 7–15 mm, acuminate, margins minutely ciliate. Flowers   uniformly green, 8–10 mm across. Pedicel and ovary 8–10 mm. Sepals not similar, 3-veined.  Dorsal sepal  concave, hooded, ovate-lanceolate, 5 X 3 mm, obtuse. Lateral sepals  reflexed to spreading, lanceolate, 4 X 1.5 mm, acute. Petals  erect, oblong, 4 X 1.5 mm,1-veined. Lip  longer than the lateral sepals, 3-partite, spurred, 7 mm, divided to base into three filiform segments, lateral segments  filiform, curved and diverging, longer than the mid-segment, 5 mm; mid-segment  blunt straight and stout, 3 mm,; spur  longer than the ovary, curved towards the apex, 12 mm. Column 1.5 mm.    

 Distribution: Western, Central Nepal; India, Myanmar, China and Thailand.

Altitudinal range: 150-600 m.

Ecology: Growing on open grassy field.

Flowering time: August to September

Plants 20–40 cm tall. Tuber oblong, 2.4–3 X 1–1.4 cm. Stem  cylindrical, ribbed in dry condition, glabrous, leafy, basal portion covered with  2-3 tubular  clasping sheaths, 1.5–2 cm. Leaves 3–4, scattered, alternate, ovate-oblong to elliptic lanceolate, 5–10 X 2—3.5 cm, sheathed at base, acuminate, 5–7 veined. Inflorescence   1–3-flowered, sometimes up to six flowered. Fertile bracts   leaf-like, ovate to broadly lanceolate, equaling or exceeding the ovary, 3–4 X 1.5 cm, acuminate. Flowers white or greenish-white, ca. 5 cm across. Pedicel and ovary 3.5–4 (-5) cm. Sepals slightly unequal, persistent. Dorsal sepal  ovate-lanceolate, 2–2.5 X 1 cm, acute, recurved at apex. Lateral sepals  spreading, subfalcate, lanceolate, 2.5 X 0.5–0.7 cm, tip reflexed. Petals  as long as dorsal sepal, overlapping at the apices and closely pressed to the dorsal sepal, falcate, 2.5 X 1 cm, margin minutely ciliolate, strongly 5-veined. Lip  longer than the sepals, pappilose at the base, 3-lobed, spurred, 3–3.5 cm; base narrow; lateral lobes deeply pectinate in filiform segments, 2–2.5 cm; mid-lobe simple, linear-oblong, tapering, ca. 2 cm, obtuse, margins minutely glandular-pubescent; spur  stout, exceeding the ovary, curved, swollen at the tip, 5-6 cm. Column 5 mm.

 Distribution: Western, Central Nepal; NW India, NE India and China (Tibet).

Altitudinal range: 900 – 3300 m.

Ecology: Growing on open grassy field and grassy slope.

Flowering time: June to September.

Habenaria aitchisonii var. josephi (Rchb.f.) Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 152 (1890). 
Habenaria diphylla var. josephi (Rchb.f.) Pearce & Cribb, Edinburgh J. Bot. 58: 114 (2001).
Plants 5–20 cm tall. Tubers ovoid-fusiform, ca 1.5 cm . Stems pubescent, bearing leaves in lower quarter. Leaves 2, opposite; sheathing at base; leaf blade broadly ovate-orbicular to weakly cordate, 1.5–3.1 cm X 1.0–2.5 cm, apex apiculate. Inflorescence 4–15 cm, laxly to subdensely 2- to 6-flowered; rachis minutely glandular, pubescent, 1.5–3.8 cm. Sterile bracts absent. Fertile bracts narrowly lanceolate, ca. 1 cm, apex acuminate. Flowers green, fragrant; ovary and pedicel curved, 7–13 mm, pubescent. Dorsal sepal ovate, 5.5–6.0 mm X 2.5–3.0 mm broad, apex acute, forming hood with petals. Lateral sepals ovate, reflexed to spreading, 5–7 mm X ca. 2.6 mm, apex acute. Petals obliquely ovate-triangular, base broad, 5–-6 mm X 2.0–2.5 mm, apex acute. Lip 3-lobed, clawed, spurred; lateral lobes linear, apex recurved-coiled, 6–9 mm X 0.5–0.8 mm wide; mid-lobe linear, ca. 5 mm X ca. 0.5 mm; spur curved forward, clavate towards the apex, 8–15 mm long. Column stout, 1.0–1.5 mm.

Distribution: Central Nepal; India (Sikkim and Darjeeling), Bhutan and China.

Altitudinal range: 3700 – 3800 m.

Flowering time: August.

Ecology: Pasture on Juniperus forest on SE facing slope.

Plants 30–40 cm tall. Tuber  globose-fusiform, 5 X 1.5 cm. Stem thick, cylindrical, ribbed, glabrous, leaves clustered on lower third of stem, basal sheaths tubular ca 4.5 cm. Leaves 4, closely alternate, elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, 12–17 X 2.4–3.8 cm, shortly petiolate and sheathing at base; sheath 2–3 cm, acute. Inflorescence   24–30 cm, arranged loosely in greater distance, laxly many-flowered, raceme 11–16 cm. Fertile bracts   oblong-lanceolate, shorter than the ovary, 15 X 5 mm, acuminate. Flowers green, ca. 10 mm across.Pedicel and ovary glabrous, 2.5 cm. Sepals slightly unequal. Dorsal sepal  erect, hooded, orbicular, 5 X 4.5 mm. Lateral sepals  spreading, triangular-oblong, 5 X 3 mm, acute, falcate. Petals  erect, forming hood with dorsal sepal, triangular-oblong, 2–3 X 1 mm. Lip 3-partite, spurred, ca. 5 mm; divided to base into three filiform segments, all the segments equal in length, narrowly linear, acute; lateral segments  filiform, 3 X 0.4 mm; mid-segment  linear, filiform, 3 X 0.4 mm; spur   above funnel shaped, apex abruptly globose, curved-geniculate,10-12 mm. Column ca. 2 mm.

Distribution: Eastern Nepal; NE India.

Altitudinal range: 1500-1600 m.

Ecology:

Flowering time: August.

Plants 30–55 cm tall. Tubers ellipsoid, 2—4 cm. Stems  stout. Leaves 3 or 4 and 3–6 bract-like leaves above; base amplexicaul; blades oblong or oblong-lanceolate, 4–13 X 1.5–4.5 cm, apex acute to acuminate. Inflorescence 10–30 cm, densely 5–10 or more-flowered; raceme 2–8 cm. Fertile bracts narrowly lanceolate, ca. 2 cm, margin ciliate. Flowers white, ca. 1.5 cm across. Sepals subsimilar, oblong-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 11–13 X 3–5 mm, margin ciliate, apex acute. Lateral sepals spreading, slightly oblique. Petals narrowly oblong-lanceolate, 7–8 X 2 mm, unlobed, margin ciliate, apex acuminate. Lip ligulate-lanceolate, usually unlobed, rarely with a tooth-like lateral lobe on both sides basally, 11–12 mm, margin ciliate, spur absent (rarely if present, 2–6 mm).

Distribution: Central, Eastern Nepal; India, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Philippines.

Altitudinal range: 500 – 3000 m.

Flowering time: September to November (rarely January)

Ecology: forest, grasslands.

Plants 7–23 cm tall. Tuber cylindric  2 X 0.5 cm. Stem cylindrical, glabrous, with leaves clustered towards the base, sheathed at the base. Leaves usually 2–4, spreading, closely alternate, sessile, linear-oblong or elliptic, (3-) 5–12 X 1.5–2.3 cm, sheathing at the base obtuse, glabrous, with a distinct semi-transparant border. Inflorescence 5–19 cm, laxly many-flowered, raceme 3–6 cm. Fertile bracts  linear-lanceolate, as long as the ovary,  20 X 4 mm, acuminate. Flowers yellow, spur green, ca 15 mm across. Pedicel and ovary glabrous, 15 mm. Sepals slightly unequal. Dorsal sepal  erect, hooded, broadly ovate, 6 X 5 mm, acute, 3-veined. Lateral sepals  spreading, falcate, oblong-lanceolate, 6 X 2 mm, acute. Petals  erect, falcate, lanceolate, 6 X 2.5 mm, acute. Lip   3-partite, spurred, 5–8 mm; divided to base into three filiform segments; lateral segments, narrow 5—10 mm, with filiform and curved apex; mid-segment shorter and broader, margin slightly reflexed; spur, equaling the curved ovary ca. 1.3cm. Column ca. 1.2 mm.     

Distribution: Western, Central Nepal; India, Bhutan, Myanmar, China and Thailand.

Flowering time: August to September.

Ecology: Growing on open grassy field.

Altitudinal range: 500 – 1000 m.

Plant 40–50 cm tall. Tuber  ovoid, ca 3 X 1 cm. Stem   leafy, cylindrical, glabrous, leaves arising from upper part of stem, clothed with closely fitting tubular sheaths; sheaths 3-5 cm long. Leaves 6, crowded near the middle, closely alternet (appears like in rosette), oblong-elliptic, 8–13 X 3–4 cm, narrowed to the sheathing base, sheath clasping, sheaths ca 2 cm long; acute to acuminate, margins entire, glabrous, 5-veined. Inflorescence  13 cm, 8-flowered, lax in close group raceme 4 cm. Sterile bracts arising from peduncle, lanceolate, 4 X 0.5 cm, acuminate. Fertile bracts  narrowly linear-lanceolate, shorter than the ovary, 15 X 2 mm, acuminate. Flowers  purplish green, ca 2.5 cm across. Pedicel and ovary glabrous, 2–2.5 cm. Sepals slightly unequal. Dorsal sepal  erect, linear-lanceolate, 2.4–2.6 X 0.4–0.5 cm, base gibbous, long-caudate, 1-veined. Lateral sepals  spreading, linear-lanceolate, 2.4–2.6 X 0.4–0.5 cm, base gibbous,long-caudate, 1-veined.  Petal  deeply bipartite, filiform, 20 X 0.5 mm, long caudate. Lip  3-partite,  spurred, 13–18 mm ; lateral lobes  equaling mid-lobe, filiform, 12 X 0.5 mm; mid-lobe  filiform, 12 X 0.5 mm; spur  narrowly cylindric, shorter than ovary, 15 mm. Column ca. 3 mm.

 Distribution: Eastern Nepal; NE India, China and Vietnam.

Altitudinal range: 2100-2200 m.

Ecology: ?

Flowering time: August.

Plants 20–45 cm tall. Tuber fusiform, 2–3.5 X 1–1.7 cm. Stem  cylindrical, glabrous, leafy, basal portion covered with  few tubular sheaths, clasping, 1.5–2 cm. Leaves 5-7, sessile, alternate, linear-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 5–8 X 1.5–2 cm, shortly sheathing at the base, acute to acuminate, strongly 3-veined. Inflorescence 8–16 cm, subdensely many-flowered, raceme 6–10 cm. Fertile bracts  leaf-like, lanceolate, longer than the ovary, 3.5–4.2 X 0.5–0.9 cm, acuminate, 3-veined. Flowers  sepals and petals green, lip greenish white 3–4 cm across. Pedicel and ovary glabrous, ca. 2 cm. Sepals slightly unequal. Dorsal sepal  erect, ovate-lanceolate, 15–20  X 5–10 mm, acute, 5-veined.  Lateral sepals  spreading, subfalcate, ovate-lanceolate, 18–20 X 5–7 mm, acute to acuminate. Petals  erect, oblong-lanceolate, 14 X 2.5 mm, acute. Lip   as long as or longer than the sepals, 3-lobed, spurred, 15–20 mm from base to mid-lobe; lateral lobes  deeply pectinate in filiform segments, 13–15 X 5–10 mm,; mid-lobe longer than the lateral lobes, simple, linear-oblong, ca. 14–20 mm; spur  tapering,  as long as or slightly longer than ovary; base narrow, 2–2.7 cm. Column stout, ca. 3mm.     

Distribution: Western, Central, Eastern Nepal; NW India, NE India and China.

Altitudinal range: 900 – 3200 m.

Ecology: Growing on open grassy field.

Flowering time: June to October.

Plants 12–43 cm tall. Tuber ovoid-globose, 20 X 10 mm. Stem terete,  glabrous. Leaves 4–6, sessile, subbasal, clustered, appears as rosette, elliptic-oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 3.5–8 X 1.3–2.5 cm, sheathing at base; sheaths clasping, 12 mm, subacute to acute. Inflorescence 15–40 cm, laxly 5–20 flowered,  raceme 4–11 cm, peduncle with  sterile bracts. Sterile bracts lanceolate, 1.2–3 cm, acuminate. Fertile bracts  lanceolate, half as long as the ovary, 5–7 X 1.8–2 mm, acuminate. Flowers sepals white, tinged with green, petals and lip white, 8–12 mm across. Pedicel and ovary curved, ridged, beaked ca. 15 mm. Sepals slightly unequal, strongly 3-veined.  Dorsal sepal erect, ovate-oblong, 4–5 X 2–2.5 mm, acute. Lateral sepals falcate, spreading, oblong, 5–7 X 2–3 mm, acute. Petals  linear-lanceolate, 3–4.5 X 1–1.2 mm, acute. Lip nearly twice as long as the lateral sepals, 3-lobed, spurred, shortly clawed at the base, suborbicular to flabelliform, 7–16 X 6–15 mm, surface glandular-pubescent; lateral lobes  semi-ovate, 10 X 4 mm, margins entire to slightly denticulate; mid-lobe small, linear-oblong, 3–5 x 0.6–0.8 mm, obtuse, little shorter than the lateral lobes; spur  slender, longer than ovary, 1.8–2.4 cm. Column ca 1mm.    

 Distribution: Western, Eastern Nepal; Sri Lanka and India.

Altitudinal range: 300 – 1000 m.

Flowering time: August to September.

Ecology: Growing on open field.

Habenaria nepalensis Kolan., Phytotaxa 261: 92 (2016).

Lip midlobe trilobulate, lobules subequal in size, triangular to triangular-ovate, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse.

Distribution: Endemic to Nepal; Western, Central Nepal

Altitudinal range: 300 – 1000 m.

Flowering: August.

Ecology: forests

Plants 46–68 cm tall, pubescent; peduncle, rachis and floral parts covered with white flattened hairs. Tubers  cylindric  4 X 0.6 cm. Stem  cylindrical, glabrous, leafy, with leaves clustered above, covered with sheaths (below leaves); sheaths 2-3, 2–6 cm, tubular, clasping. Leaves 5-6, sessile, spreading, closely alternate, elliptic-lanceolate, 9–18 X 3–4 cm, sheathed at base, sheath clasping, acuminate, 5 distinct veined. Inflorescence 37–50 cm, laxly many-flowered, raceme 18–29 cm. Fertile bracts lanceolate, shorter than the ovary, 12 X 2.5 mm, acuminate. Flowers greenish-white to greenish yellow, ca 12 mm across. Pedicel and ovary  fusiform, apical portion curved, 20 mm. Sepals slightly unequal. Dorsal sepal  erect, hooded, ovate, 7 X 3 mm, acute, 3-veined.  Lateral sepals spreading, falcate, oblong-lanceolate, 7 X 3 mm, acute, 3-veined. Petals  erect, oblong, 6.5 X 1 mm, obtuse, 1-veined . Lip   longer than the lateral sepals, 3-partite, spurred, 10 mm, divided to base into three filiform segments; lateral segments  oblong, 8–10 X 1 mm, with filiform bipartite apex, filiform apex 5 mm; mid-segment  linear,7mm; spur   slightly shorter or equaling the curved ovary, 1.7-2 cm. Column ca. 2 mm.     

Distribution: Central Nepal; India, Myanmar (Burma).

Altitudinal range: 600 – 12000 m.

Flowering time: July-August.

Ecology: Growing on forest floor.

Listera reniformis D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal.: 28 (1825).

Habenaria wallichii (Kolan., Kras & Szlach.) J.M.H. Shaw, Orchid Rev. Suppl. 125

(1319): 58 (2017).

Habenella wallichii Kolan., Kras & Szlach., Polish Bot. J. 60 (1): 28 (2015).

Plants 7–19 cm tall. Tuber  oblong,  10 X 5 mm. Leaves usually 1 rarely 2, radical,  orbicular, 2–2.5 X 2–3 cm, cordate at base, apex usually rounded, more or less flattened along the surface of the soil. Inflorescence   5–15 cm, laxly many-flowered, raceme 4–5 cm. Sterile bracts lanceolate, sheathing and acuminate. Fertile bracts  lanceolate, shorter than the ovary, 7 X 3 mm. Flowers  white, tinged with green, 7–10 mm across. Pedicel and ovary 10 mm. Sepals slightly unequal, 3-veined. Dorsal sepal  concave, ovate, 7 X 3 mm, acute. Lateral sepals  obliquely ovate, 6 X 2 mm, deflexed, acuminate. Petals  erect, subfalcate, 6 X 1mm, linear. Lip  oblong, 5mm,without lateral lobes; spur absent. Column 2 mm. 

Distribution: Central Nepal; NW Himalaya, India (Bihar, Orissa, Concan, Tamil Nadu).

Altitudinal range: 600 – 1900 m.

Ecology: Growing on open grassy field.

Flowering time: July to September.

Note:  P. Pradhan identified H. reniformis as H. diphylla from the specimens deposited at KATH. Based on these specimens Banerji & Pradhan (1984) described it as H. diphylla.

As mentioned by Hooker (H. reniformis) the species has peloric characters. In the specimens deposited at KATH  (labeled as H. diphylla) the lip is simple, oblong, without lateral lobes and without spur. In the description (Banerji & Pradhan, 1984) there is distinct lateral lobes and spur. From the same population collected from Dhading district, simple and three partite lip were observed. Moreover, Pandey (2021, unpublished thesis) synonymized Habenaria wallichii with H. reniformis after close comparison of morphological features and the type specimen.

Plants 40–90 cm tall. Tuber  fusiform, 3 X 1 cm. Stem thick, cylindrical, glabrous, stout, nearly lower half of stem clothed with sheaths, upper part leafy; sheaths tubular, 2.5–4.5 cm. Leaves 6 to 9, born towards upper part of stem, alternate, ovate-lanceolate, 7–12 X 2–3.5 cm,  shortly petiolate and sheathing at base; petiole channeled, acuminate. Inflorescence   10–20 cm, densely many-flowered, raceme 5 cm. Fertile bracts   linear-lanceolate, as long as the ovary, 15 X 4 mm, acuminate, membranous, 3-veined. Flowers light green, ca. 2.5 cm across. Pedicel and ovary glabrous, 15 mm. Sepals slightly unequal. Dorsal sepal  erect, hooded, ovate-lanceolate, 7 X 3 mm, acuminate, 3-veined. Lateral sepals  spreading,  weakly falcate, ovate-lanceolate, 10 X 5 mm, acuminate to subcaudate, 3-veined. Petals  erect, linear, 5–8 X 0.1–0.8 mm, gradually broad at base, unequally bifid from base, acute. Lip  longer than the lateral sepals, 3-partite, spurred, ca. 12 mm; divided to base into three filiform segments, lateral segments shorter than the mid-segment, narrowly linear-lanceolate, 4–6 mm, acute; mid-segment shorter and broader, longer than laterals, linear-lanceolate, 7–9 mm, acute; spur  filiform, obtuse, longer than the ovary, 10–14 mm. Column ca. 4 mm.     

Distribution: Central Nepal; NE India, Bhutan and China.

Altitudinal range: 1000 – 2400 m.

Ecology: Growing on open field.

Flowering time: August to October

1.     Habenaria sandiegoensis Raskoti, Raskoti, PloS ONE 14(10)-e0223355: 4. (2019).

2.     Habenaria palpensis Raskoti, Phytotaxa 394(4): 260 (2019).

3.     Habenaria davidii Franch., Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. sér. 2, 10: 86. (1888).  Occurrence of this species in Nepal is not certain, the only specimen cited from Nepal is in fact Habenaria pectinata.

Note: The first author Prof. L.R. Shakya has already provided the checked specimen data to Padme database, therefore, we request the Editorial Centre Edinburgh to correlate this account with the Padme database of Habenaria. List of additional specimens checked is provided with the attached spreadsheet.