Orchids Of Subtropical Zone

Mixed forests bearing tall and medium sized trees with thick canopy of leaves characterize this zone. The moss covered tree trunks and branches, as also rock surfaces nearing watercourses, form ideal habitats for orchids. Heavy summer precipitation as also precipitation in the form of dew during night and early morning is the character of this region. During summer the day temperature may remain  that drops down to about at night. Winter here is cool and dry; the day temperature ranges between  with a cooler night. Relative humidity during the rainy season remains  Some of the best-known ornamental epiphytic orchids are found in this zone. This zone can broadly be divided into the following habitats.

Forest Vegetation

The mixed forests and secondary scrub vegetation forms major area under this region. Most of the popular epiphytic orchids with large and handsome flowers favour this vegetation. These are Coelogyne, Cymbidium, Dendrobium, Thunia (all sympodials); Arachnite, Renanthera, Vanda (all monopodials); the famous blue vanda (Vanda coerulea) and the red vanda (Renanthera imschootiana) come here. The other epiphytic genera are Bulbophyllum, Eria, Liparis, Oberonia (sympodial); Cleisostoma, Phalaenopsis (rnonopodial). There are many terrestrial genera like Calanthe, Crepidium, Liparis, Malaxis, Phaius that prefer damp forest floors, inhabit here.

Ca!carious rocks

There are some terrestrial genera like Paphiopedilum whose distributions are determined by the mineral contents of the substrate. Limestone or dolomite rocks when located on banks of perennial rivers or waterfalls under thick vegetation with high rainfall provide ideal habitat for the popular lady- slipper orchids. Paphiopedilum fairrieanum, F hirsutissimum, P. insigne, P. spicerianum etc. grow on the percipes and crevices of rock cliffs or rock faces on riverbanks.

Clay banks

Several terrestrial orchids like Anthogonium gracile, Crepidium acuminatum as also several habenaria allied genera like Habenaria, Pecteilis and Peristylus usually prefer clay banks located inside vegetation.

Bamboo and Palm thickets

The bamboo and palm thickets are a different type of vegetation and provide shelter to many popular terrestrial orchids such as Calanthe, Phaius, and the well-known lady slipper orchid Paphiopedilum venustum. Other terrestrial orchids growing here are several species under Eulophia and Nervilia.

Humus-rich Forest floors

On the forest floors are accumulated fallen leaves, twigs, and other vegetative debries. On decaying these make the top soil humus-rich, porus and light. Soil of such kind near the banks of perennial watercourses under shade remains moist and forms ideal habitat for many terrestrial orchids of evergreen in nature. Important among these are the jewel orchids, which comprise species from genera like Anoectochilus, Goodyera and Zeuxine. The substrate is also much suitable for the saprophytic orchids that are known to thrive on decayed vegetation. Several saprophytic species under the genera Cymb, Epipogium, Erythorchis, Eulophia , Galeola, Gastrodia occur here. Several species under the terrestrial genera Calanthe, Cheirostylis, Crepidium, Eulophia, Phaius also favour such habitats.

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