Uncommon endemic orchid species in Thailand
2005
Thaitong, O. | Khunwasi, C.
Thailand has one of the richest resources of tropical orchids. It has been reported that about 177 genera and 1,135 species are found all over the country. Field exploration and data collection in natural orchids have been conducted since 1983. All 1,500 specimens collected were identified and kept at the at the Kasin Suvatabhandhu Herbarium, Chulalongkorn University. It was concluded that there are 180 species endemic to Thailand. A number of them are relatively common in the natural forests, especially those belonging to the genus Bulbophyllum. However, there still are many taxa that are rarely found, such as Thaia saprophytica Seidenf. Moreover, some species, such as Paphiopedilum exul (Ridl.) Rolfe, are now threatened with extinction in their natural habitats. Further exploration of these endemic, both common and uncommon, species in the nearby countries may provide useful taxanomic and ecological data, as well as information for orchid conservation in Southeast Asia.
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