Pholidota species- Alaknanda valley of Uttarakhand

 

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Pholidota imbricata Lindl. is a terrestrial orchid found over rocks or over trees.

It produces beautiful hanging spikes of tinny flowers during July-August.

Photographed in Alaknanda valley of Uttarakhand at an altitude of 750m.

Look at the lateral sepals if they are fused togeter below. If yes, then this could be Pholidota pallida, otherwise Pholidota imbricata.
In fact I found both in Uttarakhand and I found a third one which never flowered :(. The plant is still alive and was collected from the path at the tip of Gori valley..

Will check with specimens. Initially I thought that P.pallida is synonym to P.imbricata.

No sir, if you put two plants together then you can differentiate with your eyes closed just by touch. Plant List and Kew checklist people, most of them merge species without looking at the actual plants !!

“Fine close ups. Seeing these I doubt that my P.imbricata is P.pallida as also suspected by you. Now I have to find specimens to clarify.”