Common name: Nun's Orchid, Nun's Cap Orchid, Chinese Ground Orchid, Red Crane Orchid, Swamp lily, Veiled Nun Orch • Manipuri: Nongmai mani
Botanical name: Phaius tankervilliae Family: Orchidaceae (orchid family)
This magnificent species is a very wide spread terrestrial, being found along
the eastern seaboard of Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Indo-China,
Thailand and on into Northern India. The plant is a large one, with stout fleshy
pseudobulbs, and several large pleated leaves. Inflorescence is a simple
raceme which may attain 100cm in height, and bear up to 30 large (10cm)
shapely blooms. The common name is explained by looking into the throat of the
flower. One can see what appears to be a nun with head bowed in prayer.
It is a species which has evolved as a bog dweller and it is
always found in areas which are shady, and subject to
flooding for a few months each year, remaining cool and moist for the rest of
the year. The more than 4' long, erect, basal, racemose
inflorescence, after blooming and the fall of the dead flowers, can be cut off
and placed on sand in a long, plastic, plant flat and partially covered, put
in a deep shaded, humid, well watered area and in 2 to 3 months, plantlets
will begin to grow from the old floral bracts. After 6 months they can be
transplanted into a pot.
| Photographed in Jharkhand |
Identification credit: Pankaj Kumar
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