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Orchids of Kerala

The 252 species, 3 subspecies and a solitary variety of orchids belonging to 79 genera known to occur in Kerala India

Kerala, recognised in the present form in 1956, is one of the smallest states in the extreme southwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, bordered on the north by the state of Karnataka, on the east and south by Tamil Nadu and washed on the west by Arabian Sea. It lies between latitudes 08.2 degree N and longitudes 74.7 degree and 77.5 degree E covering an area of 38,864 Sq.Km., which is 1% of the total land area of India. Kerala is isolated from the Deccan plateau by the mountainous belt of Western Ghats. The average height of the Western Ghats in Kerala is about 950m., but the High Ranges rise up to 2695 m. (Anamudi, the highest peak south of the Himalayas). This region is blessed with high rainfall, good drainage, diverse soil types and wide ranging altitudes, all factors contributing to the exuberance of its vegetation. Accordingly, deciduous forests, tropical evergreen forests and temperate evergreen forest formations occur at suitable elevations. The plant wealth of the state, especially the species and condiments, timber, etc. attracted traders, travelers and maritime powers down centuries.

kerala location map

1. Thiruvananthapuram 2. Kollam 3. Pathanamthitta 4. Alappuzha 5. Kottayam 6. Idukki 7. Ernakulam 8. Thrissur 9. Palghat 10. Malappuram 11. Kozhikode 12. Wayanad 13. Kannur 14. Kasargod

acampe Acampe
acanthephippium Acanthephippium
aenhenrya Aenhenrya
aerides Aerides
anoectochilus Anoectochilus
aphyllorchis Aphyllorchis
arundina Arundina
brachycorythis Brachycorythis
bulbophyllum Bulbophyllum
calanhe Calanthe
cheirostylis Cheirostylis
chiloschista Chiloschista
chrysoglossum Chrysoglossum
cirrhopetalum Cirrhopetalum
cleisostoma Cleisostoma
coelogyne Coelogyne
corymborkis Corymborkis
cottonia Cottonia
crepidium Crepidium
cymbidium Cymbidium
dendrobium Dendrobium
didymoplexis Didymoplexis
dienia Dienia
Diplocentrum
diploprora Diploprora
disperis Disperis
epipogium Epipogium
eria Eria
eulophia Eulophia
flickingeria Flickingeria
gastrochilus Gastrochilus
gastrodia Gastrodia
geodorum Geodorum
goodyera Goodyera
habenaria Habenaria
hetaeria Hetaeria
ipsea Ipsea
kingidium Kingidium
liparis Liparis
luisia Luisia
nervilia Nervilia
oberonia oberonia
pachystoma Pachystoma
paphiopedilum Paphiopedilum
papilionanthe Papilionanthe
pecteilis Pecteilis
peristylus Peristylus
phaius Phaius
pholidota Pholidota
phreatia Phreatia
podochilus Podochilus
polystachya Polystachya
pomatocalpa Pomatocalpa
porpax Porpax
pteroceras Pteroceras
rhynchostyllis Rhynchostyllis
rhytionantos Rhytionantos
robiquetia Robiquetia
saccolabiopsis Saccolabiopsis
satyirum Satyrium
schoenorchis Schoenorchis
seidenfadeniella Seidenfadeniella
seidenfia Seidenfia
sirhookera Sirhookera
smithsonia Smithsonia
Spiranthes
taeniophyllum Taeniophyllum
Tainia
taprobanea Taprobanea
thelasis Thelasis
thrixspermum Thrixspermum
thunia Thunia
trias Trias
trichoglottis Trichoglottis
tropidia Tropidia
vanda Vanda
vanilla Vanilla
xenikphyton Xenikphyton
zeuxine Zeuxine