We are thrilled to share the first-ever record of Hemiorchis pantlingii in Bhutan. Hemiorchis pantlingii is a rare perennial her from the Zingiberaceae family, and was found in the lush forests of Smatse District during a botanical exploration in 2019.
This remarkable species was discovered in shaded areas of a subtropical plantation forest of Shorea robusta by Phub Gyeltshen and Chogyal Tashi. It stands out due to its unique features such as lateral staminodes that are yellow to orange-yellow, along with as distinctly raised mid-region labellum.
However, Hemiorchis pantlingii has been assessed as near threatened (NT) under the IUCN Red List, highlighting the need for conservation efforts to protect its habitat from potential degradation.
Read the full article at The first record of Hemiorchis pantlingii King (Zingiberaceae) in the flora of Bhutan
