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Riddhi Habenaria
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Riddhi Habenaria
ative Photo: Thingnam Girija
Common name: Riddhi Habenaria • Hindi: ऋद्धि Riddhi • Tamil: Riddhi • Malayalam: Riddhi • Telugu: Riddhi • Kannada: Riddhi • Sanskrit: ऋद्धि Riddhi
Botanical name: Herminium edgeworthii    Family: Orchidaceae (Orchid family)
Synonyms: Habenaria edgeworthii, Platanthera edgeworthii

Riddhi Habenaria is a tuberous terrestrial orchid, growing up to 75 cm tall. It has somewhat twisted leafy stem covered with hairs. Leaves are sheathed, 2-4 in number, ovate to lance-shaped. Flowers are yellowish green deflexed in buds, in cylindrical spike. Lip is bright yellow, entire, strap-shaped, base forming slightly channeled claw, spur longer than ovary, spreading and directed upwards usually hooked downwards towards the tip, column 2-3 mm in height. Riddhi Habenaria is found in the Himalayas, from Uttarkhand to Nepal, at altitudes of 2500-3000 m.
Medicinal uses: The tubers of Riddhi Habenaria are used in Ayurvedic medicine. The medicine goes by the name Riddhi.

Identification credit: Pankaj Kumar Photographed on Govindghat-Ghangria route, Uttarakhand.

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