Peristylus Blume is distributed Tropical & Subtropical Asia to Mongolia and Pacific with a count of 102 species in the world (2).  In India there are around 36 species of Peristylus species (6). Nayar, et al.,reported 11 Peristylus species from Western Ghats of India (1). Sharma, et al.,reports 8 Peristylus species in Karnataka (5). Sringeshwara & Sanjappareported 197 wild orchids, in that 11 Peristylus species were recorded (7). Flora of Karnataka, volume 3 records 8 Peristylus species from different districts of Karnataka (1). Ravikumar, et al., in their present updated work in Seed plants of Karnataka, India: A Concise Dictionary reported 10 Peristylus species (Peristylus aristatus Lindl., Peristylus brachyphyllus A. Rich., Peristylus densus (Lindl.) Santapau & Kapadia, Peristylus goodyeroides (D.Don) Lindl., Peristylus lawii Wight, Peristylus plantagineus (Lindl.) Lindl., Peristylus richardianus Wight, Peristylus secundus (Lindl.) Rathakr.,   Peristylus spiralis A.Rich., Peristylus stocksii A. Rich) (3).Flora of Coorg (Kodagu), Karnataka recorded two Peristylus species in their work in Orchidaceae family (9).        Survey was conducted at Keerti reserve forest and Napuklu road to Brahmgiri Wildlife Sanctuary (Bhagmandla and Talacauvery) collected an interesting Peristylus species which was up to 85 cm tall, Spadix inflorescence with highly scented flowers and with scrotiform spur. After analyzing this characters under the microscope which was identified as Peristylus parishii Rchb.f. which was not reported early from Karnataka, but recently reported from Waynad, Kerala (4) (Figure 1). So the present work reports the distribution of the species with its extended diversity and a new report to Karnataka.             

Taxonomic treatment:

Peristylus parishii Rchb.f. Trans. Linn. Soc. London 30: 139 (1874). Salim et al., Peristylus parishii (Orchidaceae); New Record Kerala, Indian Forester, 147 (5): 506-507 (2021).

            Terrestrial herbs up to 60-80 cm long. Tubers dark brown, 1-2, Ovid shape, 1-2 cm long, small roots above the tubers. Leaves 2-4, 5-7 × 3-5 cm, many veins, lanceolate, linear wavy margin sometimes, base ovate, acuminate apex, pale to dark green. Inflorescence lax, long up to 40 cm, spadix, flowers many arranged spirally. Bract linear lanceolate, acute apex, 1-veined, 8 × 2 mm, whitish shiny green. Flower green, highly scented, many in number. Dorsal sepal boat-like, ovate shape, blunt apex, creamish tinged, 1 × 1 mm, 1-veined. Lateral sepals creamish tinged, sickle-shaped, 1. 5 × 1 mm. Petals green, 2 × 1 mm, linear ovate to acute apex, 1-veined. Labellum 4 × 2-3 mm, green, 3-lobed, side lobes linear bent sideways, middle lobe tongue like, yellowish green, front lobe is undulate. Spur scrotiform, ovoid shape green, 1 × 1 mm. Column greenish yellow with two sacks. Pollinaria 1 pair, cream yellow, viscidium pad is large with small projections on it. Ovary 8 × 2 mm, green, with many nerved. Capsule 8 mm long, brown when dry, shiny, many-seeded.             

Flowering Season: June-July; Fruiting season: July-October.

Specimen examined: India, Karnataka, Kodagu, Brahmgiri Wildlife Sanctuary, Keerti Reserve forest and Napuklu road, 14/08/2024, 0368, Shreyas Betageri & Prashant Karadakatti, (HKSCD 20674).

Distribution: India [Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Kerala & Karnataka (present record)]; China South-Central, China Southeast, East Himalaya, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam.

Conservation status: As per the present survey at that region, this species is seen at roadside understory of forest and road cuttings at Keerti reserve forest, Kodagu. And also seen few individuals at Napuklu road on the way to Bagmandla, Virajpeth at road cuttings.

Note: Persitylus parshii is distributed commonly throught out Kodagu district, but may be misconceptioned with Peristylus goodyeroides (D.Don) Lindl. and Peristylus densus (Lindl.) Santapau & Kapadia by its colour and structure and labellum. So present work reports easy key up to species level.

Key to Peristylus Blumespecies in Karnataka:

Acknowledgement:

            The authors are thankful to Karnatak University, Karnataka Science College, Dharwad to conduct this research. Authors are thankful to Vanaja G. Patgar, research scholar to help in dissection in my work. Authors are thankful to Abhishek Jain and Kaushik M., Kodagu help me research work.

References:

1]Laxminarasimhan, P., Dash, S.S., Singh, P., Singh, N.P., Vasudeva, M.K., Rao, P.S.N. and Mao A. A. (2019).Flora of Karnataka, Monocotyledons. Botanical Survey of India Vol. 3.

2] Nayar, T. S., Rasiya Beegam, A. & Sibi, M. (2014). Flowering Plants of Western Ghats, India. Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Kerala. 1096-1097pp.

3] POWO “Plants of the World Online”, 2025. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet: https://powo.science.kew.org//. Retrieved 15 June 2025.

4] Ravikumar, K., Tangavelou, A. C. & Page, N. (2021). Seed Plants of Karnataka, India: A Concise Dictionary. FRLHT-TDU. Bangalore. 536-537pp.

5] Salim, M., Anil Kumar, N., Mathew, J. & Saleem, M. (2021). Peristylus parishii (Orchidaceae); A New Record to Kerala, Indian Forester, 147 (5): 506-507.

6] Sharma, B. D., Singh, N. P., Raghavan, R. S. & Deshapande, U. R. (1984). Flora of Karnataka analysis. Botanical Survey of India. Calcutta. 275p.

7] Singh, S.K., Agrawala, D.K., Jalal, J.S., Dash, S.S., Mao, A. A.  & Singh, P. (2019). Orchids of India, a pictorial compendium. Botanical survey of India.  514-518pp.

8] Sringeshwara, A. N. & Sanjappa, M. (2019). Flora of Karnataka, a Checklist. Vol II. Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. Karnataka Biodiversity Board, Bangalore. 550-551 p.

9] Yoganarasimhan, S. N. & Keshavamurthy, K. R. (1990).Flora of Coorg (Kodagu), Karnataka.  Vimsat Publishers, Bangalore.