Vegetos
(An International Journal of Plant Research & Biotechnology)
(eISSN: 2229-4473)
Rediscovery, conservation assessment and ecological niche modelling of the high-altitude endemic orchid Habenaria flabelliformis (Orchidaceae) from Western Ghats, India
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Research Articles | Published: 10 September, 2026
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Keywords: IUCN Red List criteria, MaxEnt model, Outside type locality, Southern Western Ghats
Abstract
Habenaria flabelliformis (Orchidaceae) was first collected by E. Barnes as a solitary specimen from the slopes of Anaimudi in the Western Ghats of Kerala and subsequently described in 1936. Following the type collection, there were no subsequent records of the species from the Western Ghats for eight decades. However, in 2016, a small population was rediscovered outside the type locality in the Palani Hills of the Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu. This study successfully located the species at type locality, Anaimudi, in the Western Ghats of Kerala. Using new data from extensive field surveys, the conservation status of H. flabelliformis was reassessed following the IUCN Red List criteria. The species is declining due to combined natural and anthropogenic pressures. To support conservation and habitat restoration, we used the MaxEnt model to predict the current suitable potential niche of H. flabelliformis. The model offers valuable insights for forecasting potential distribution patterns and guiding conservation strategies.
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Author Information
Department of Botany, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, Dhaulakuan, India