August 20
Rakchham, Kinnaur: In a remarkable botanical rediscovery, the rare and elusive Epipogium aphyllum, popularly known as the Ghost Orchid, has been recorded once again in the Rakchham-Chitkul Wildlife Sanctuary of Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district after several decades.
The orchid was documented during regular field monitoring in the Rakchham area by Block Forest Officer Santosh Thakur, Van Mitra Alpna Negi and the Sangla Wildlife team. The team photographed the species and recorded field observations after encountering it in its natural habitat.
Only four individual plants were located during the survey, underlining the rarity of the species and its highly specialised ecological requirements.
A rare and elusive orchid
Epipogium aphyllum is a leafless, chlorophyll-free and mycoheterotrophic orchid that depends on specialised fungi associated with forest ecosystems for nutrition. The plant remains underground for much of its life and emerges only under suitable environmental conditions.
During favourable summer conditions, its flowering stem may suddenly appear above the forest floor and remain visible for just around 10 to 12 days before disappearing again, sometimes remaining underground for years. This unusual and unpredictable behaviour has earned it the popular name Ghost Orchid.
The species has a limited history of documented occurrence in Himachal Pradesh. Historical references indicate that it was reported from Fagu in Shimla district by Henry Collett in 1921. Later collections were made by Dr Rau in 1959, while another collection attributed to Dr Vaid is believed to date back to the 1980s.
Major addition to Himachal’s botanical records
Dr Gurinderjit Singh Goraya, retired PCCF and Head of Forest Force, Himachal Pradesh, described the discovery as an important botanical finding for the state.
“The Ghost Orchid is one of the rarest orchids of Himachal Pradesh. Although it was recorded several decades ago, there has been little validation or authentic contemporary documentation of some of the historical records,” he said, congratulating the Rakchham Wildlife team for the discovery.
He noted that while the species is extremely rare in Himachal Pradesh, it is comparatively more common in suitable hilly regions of North-East India and China.
Dr Bhagwati Prasad Sharma, Professor of Botany, said the genus Epipogium comprises around eight species worldwide, of which three have been reported from India. Two species of the genus are known from Himachal Pradesh.
The species is distributed across parts of Europe and Asia and has been reported in India from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim, generally at elevations of around 2,800 to 3,200 metres.
Discovery highlights need for conservation
Dr Ashutosh Sharma, a taxonomist, said the Sangla Valley record was a significant addition to the understanding of the species’ distribution in the Western Himalaya.
Although the orchid is distributed across Eurasia, its occurrence remains rare throughout its range, he said, adding that the discovery strengthens botanical knowledge of both Kinnaur and Himachal Pradesh.
Chief Conservator of Forests, Shimla Wildlife (South), Preeti Bhandari, IFS, congratulated Santosh Thakur and Alpna Negi, saying the record was both an important botanical milestone and a reminder of how much remained unexplored in the Himalayan landscape.
She stressed the importance of continued scientific exploration, regular biodiversity monitoring and protection of fragile forest ecosystems.
Ashok Negi, IFS, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Wildlife, Sarahan, also appreciated the Sangla Wildlife team for its contribution to documenting the biodiversity of the Rakchham-Chitkul Wildlife Sanctuary.
Deputy Commissioner Kinnaur Dr Amit Kumar said the discovery suggested that many more rare and fascinating plants could be hidden across the Sangla Valley.
The rediscovery of the Ghost Orchid, with only four plants located during the survey, highlights the importance of long-term biodiversity monitoring and careful protection of fragile Himalayan habitats.
The finding is being seen as a proud achievement for the Rakchham Wildlife team and a significant addition to the natural and botanical heritage of Kinnaur and Himachal Pradesh.
