Medicinal Orchids of Veligonda Hill Range
MEDICINAL ORCHIDS OF VELIGONDA HILL s
S.K. M.BASHA*, E.RAJYALAKSHMI, P UMA MAHESHWARI drskmbasha@gmail.com, swathisayani@yahoo.co.in, mahepm@yahoo.com Associate Professor and Research scholars, NBKR Medicinal Plant Research Centre, Vidyanagar – 524413, SPSR Nellore Dist, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Veligonda and adjoining hill ranges comprising of Palakonda, Seshachalam, lankamala and terminal part of Nallamala form mid region of Southern Eastern Ghats. This hilly trap is spread over 170 kms length in northerly-southern direction lying between Cuddapah and Nellore Districts and stretching a little farther into Prakasam District. These hill ranges form a natural barrier between Cuddapah and Nellore Districts, the former is flanked on the west and latter on the East respectively.
Geometrically the Veligonda hilly terrain lies between 79°.30’ E to 79°.30’E and 13°.45’N to 15°.15’N. Veligonda series are more or less a continuous trap. However penna river traverse from west to east across Cuddapah and Nellore districts through a gorget Somasila forming estuary at Nellore coast. It is fed by several tributaries. The altitude in general ranges from 66m to 1000m. Fifty percent of the State’s forest area lies in the Eastern Ghats of which 2.3 million hectares of forest cover in these two districts is 0.744 million hectares which is about 25% of the total land area of the two districts.
The Family Orchidaceae to which orchids belong is the largest family among monocotyledons containing 600-800 genera. They are know for its floral complexity and symbiosis. They play a considerable role in biodiversity and in balancing equilibrium of the eco-system.
MATERIALS AND METHODS;
Two sources of data we utilized for compiling this information : Literature and extensive communication with tribal people of Veligonda range.
In Veligonda Hill Range 9 species of 4 genera of orchids are identified. Out of these 4 genera,
S.K. M.BASHA*, E.RAJYALAKSHMI, P UMA MAHESHWARI drskmbasha@gmail.com, swathisayani@yahoo.co.in, mahepm@yahoo.com Associate Professor and Research scholars, NBKR Medicinal Plant Research Centre, Vidyanagar – 524413, SPSR Nellore Dist, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Veligonda and adjoining hill ranges comprising of Palakonda, Seshachalam, lankamala and terminal part of Nallamala form mid region of Southern Eastern Ghats. This hilly trap is spread over 170 kms length in northerly-southern direction lying between Cuddapah and Nellore Districts and stretching a little farther into Prakasam District. These hill ranges form a natural barrier between Cuddapah and Nellore Districts, the former is flanked on the west and latter on the East respectively.
Geometrically the Veligonda hilly terrain lies between 79°.30’ E to 79°.30’E and 13°.45’N to 15°.15’N. Veligonda series are more or less a continuous trap. However penna river traverse from west to east across Cuddapah and Nellore districts through a gorget Somasila forming estuary at Nellore coast. It is fed by several tributaries. The altitude in general ranges from 66m to 1000m. Fifty percent of the State’s forest area lies in the Eastern Ghats of which 2.3 million hectares of forest cover in these two districts is 0.744 million hectares which is about 25% of the total land area of the two districts.
The Family Orchidaceae to which orchids belong is the largest family among monocotyledons containing 600-800 genera. They are know for its floral complexity and symbiosis. They play a considerable role in biodiversity and in balancing equilibrium of the eco-system.
MATERIALS AND METHODS;
Two sources of data we utilized for compiling this information : Literature and extensive communication with tribal people of Veligonda range.
In Veligonda Hill Range 9 species of 4 genera of orchids are identified. Out of these 4 genera,