My understanding is that 'Tibetan' Medicine has been officially
adopted/sanctioned as a health-caresystem in India.
This means that it is legitimate for amchis (doctors of traditional Tibetan
Medicine in Bhutan are knownas dungtshos) long resident in Ladakh AND those
based a MEN-TSEE-KHANG to collect material forherbal formulations - provided
it carried out in a responsible fashion.
This would include collection of Dactylorhiza hatagirea (and presumably
D.kafiriana) in Ladakh and Himachal Pradeshand Gymnadenia orchidis (if it is
present) which are likely to be collected as "dbang-lag".
As this has been going on for CENTURIES and D.hatagirea was described in
'Flowers of the Himalaya'and by Stewart as "common" (and the number of amchis
operating in Ladakh, much reduced in recentdecades) THERE IS NOTHING to suggest
that this species is SERIOUSLY Endangered in this part ofthe Himalaya at least.
UNLESS THERE HAS BEEN A MASSIVE INCREASE IN CONSUMPTION WITHIN'INDIAN'
MEDICINE?
I assume that amchis in places like Ladakh have collected RESPONSIBLY by NOT
remove colonies/populations of this orchid in their entirety. Since the tubers
(roots) are harvested, this involvesdigging up the whole plant. IF collection
takes place AFTER seed has been dispersed, this is less bad.
It would be INFORMATIVE if PROPER SURVEYS OF TYPICAL HABITAT FOR THIS ORCHID
HAVE BEEN UNDERTAKEN IN LADAKH & LAHOUL to SCIENTIFICALLY ASSESS levels of
threat towild populations.
Flora of Lahaul-Spiti STATES that "THE large scale exploitation MAY lead to
extinction from thenatural habitat" but I ask, what is the ACTUAL EVIDENCE,
that this orchid is being collected on aLARGE scale? I do not know the answer
to this nor does ANYONE.
The image taken for me showing what are likely to be Dactylorhiza hatagirea
tubers being dried wasin Lahoul. The collectors (presumably operating
illegally) were not local men.
Yes, it is right and proper to express concerns and one way would surely be to
monitor QUANTITYof dried tubers being purchased.
But UNLESS there is evidence to INCREASED demand/usage cf. say the 1970s/1980s,
when D.hatagireawas considered as "common" in suitable habitats (and thus
collection of such quantities appeared sustainable). IF this is the case then
CLAIMS of risk of extinction have been EXAGGERATED.
I KNOW from personal experience "in the Himalaya" that some species which are
CLAIMED to be'rare and endangered' are NO SUCH THING.
Surely, FINITE, resources for a CONSERVATION should be directed towards those
species GENUINELYrare.
Just because a plant is used for medicinal purposes does NOT automatically mean
it is CRITICALLYENDANGERED (which means it is about to become extinct).
CRYING WOLF too often, will, in time cause GREAT harm.
Best Wishes,
Chris Chadwell
81 Parlaunt Road
SLOUGH
SL3 8BE
UK
www.shpa.org.uk
From: Pankaj Kumar <[email protected]>
To: J.M. Garg <[email protected]>
Cc: efloraofindia <[email protected]>; C CHADWELL
<[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, 16 January 2017, 13:10
Subject: Re: Datylorhiza hatagirea sensu lato in HP & Uttarakhand
Just forgot to mention that yes, Amchis are around in himalayan region, some as
a part of tibetan refugee and some illegal. But please remember that
Dactylorhiza hatagirea atleast is also used in Indian traditional
medicine.Pankaj
On Mon, Jan 16, 2017 at 9:06 PM, Pankaj Kumar <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear Sir
1. As I see all pink flowers in this thread belong to Dactylorhiza hatagirea.
The tubers if collected from this plant then its ok they too are Dactylorhiza.
2.The greenish white flower pic at the end is not clear but does look like
Dactylorhiza viridis (=Coeloglossum viride). If you have more pics I can check,
because in this particular pic, I cant get any glimpse of the labellum. Just
for your information Mr. Kishan Lal passed away recently. He was an engineer by
profession and a keen collector. Most of his orchids were either identified by
Jeewan and myself till 2008 (following which I had cut off my connections with
him).or by BSI. D. viridis colour varies from pale green to green to even red.
This is one species extremely widespread and hence such variations are obvious.
Thanks and regardsPankaj
On Mon, Jan 16, 2017 at 12:34 PM, J.M. Garg <[email protected]> wrote:
Thanks a lot, Chadwell ji. ---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "C CHADWELL" <[email protected] om>
Date: 16 Jan 2017 5:59 a.m.
Subject: Datylorhiza hatagirea sensu lato in HP & Uttarakhand
To: "J.M. Garg" <[email protected]>
Cc:
Aswal & Mehrotra in 'Flora of Lahaul-Spiti' (1999) found D.hatagirea to be
common in grassy meadows on slopesat Khoksar.
They observed that the tubers are an important ingredient of many Ayurvedic and
Unani preparations and thereforecollected by the local people for sale.
Bor's specimen at Dehra Dun which had been identified as A.maculata is in fact
D.hatagirea. A.maculata being aEuropean species which does not occur in India.
The plant reported by Aitchison in 1868 as A.maculata is probablyA.hatagirea.
Koelz (1979) found an attractive rose-coloured orchid common in the meadows of
Lahaul, known in Tibetan as 'Wanglak' (hand-shaped root) used by local doctors
of Tibetan Medicine. This was only partially identified as Habernaria sp.
Was thisGymnadenia orchidis or perhaps Dactylorhiza (and if so, D.hatagirea or
D.kafiriana)?
Collet in 'Flora Simlensis' (1921) also got it wrong (presumably following FBI)
finding what he thought was Orchis latifoliawhich he said was the 'Marsh
Orchis' of Britain in wet ground at Huttoo. Flower colour dull purple, the lip
darker spotted.
'The Valley of Flowers' book lists Orchis latifolia (now Dactylorhiza
hatagirea) and Orchis chusua (now Ponerorchis chusua).
I am attaching 6 images:
1. A string of Dactylorhiza tubers having been illegally collected in H.P.;
photographed on my behalf - I don't expect theIndian collectors (they were not
local men) gathered them in a responsible way (which I believe amchis - local
doctors oftraditional medicine do).
2-4. Images taken by Krishan Lal at Koksar, Lahoul, H.P. of what he thought
was D.hatagirea
5. Image of what he thought was Dactylorhiza viride - which Stewart listed as
Coleloglossum viride (in the UK thisplant is known as the 'Frog Orchid' - the
flowers MOSTLY being green. Just taking a quick look, Krishan's image doesnot
fit but we have members with much greater familiarity with Orchidaceae, who can
comment more authoritatively.
6. Another image of what he thought was Dactylorhiza viride - which Stewart
listed as Coeloglossum viride (in the UK thisplant is known as the 'Frog
Orchid' - the flowers MOSTLY being green. This seems more promising. Perhaps
Krishan madea labelling error (which he did from time-to-time).
Just supposing Krishan photos from Gulaba were taken where both Dactylorhiza
hatagirea and Coeloglossum viride grew together,the POSSIBILITY of hybrids
exists. In the UK, C.viride is known to hybridise with a number of
Dactylorhiza species.....
Best Wishes,
Chris Chadwell
81 Parlaunt Road
SLOUGH
SL3 8BE
UK
www.shpa.org.uk
--
****************************** ******************************
****************************** ****************************
Pankaj Kumar, Ph.D.
IUCN-SSC Orchid Specialist Group Asia
Office:
Conservation Officer
Orchid Conservation Section
Flora Conservation Department
Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG) Corporation
Lam Kam Road, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong.
Residence:
House no. 39, 2nd Floor, Shui Wo TsuenLam Tsuen, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong
Kong.
email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Phone: +852 2483 7128 (office - 8:30am to 5:00pm); +852 9436 6251 (mobile);
Fax: +852 2483 7194
--
**********************************************************************************************************************
Pankaj Kumar, Ph.D.
IUCN-SSC Orchid Specialist Group Asia
Office:
Conservation Officer
Orchid Conservation Section
Flora Conservation Department
Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG) Corporation
Lam Kam Road, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong.
Residence:
House no. 39, 2nd Floor, Shui Wo TsuenLam Tsuen, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong
Kong.
email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Phone: +852 2483 7128 (office - 8:30am to 5:00pm); +852 9436 6251 (mobile);
Fax: +852 2483 7194
--
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