Promising Wild Orchids of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and their Conservation

Andaman and Nicobar group of islands are one of the three major habitats of orchids in India. A great diversity is observed in the flora of orchids, growing wild in the territory. Considering its importance, a survey was conducted in some potential forest areas of these islands and a germplasm collection of about twenty species of orchids made overaperiod of three years. Some of the promising species have been listed a long with its description, status, occurrence and importance in this paper. The collected germplasm will be very useful in the breeding programme, besides ornamental values.