Diplomeris hirsuta Lindl (Orchidaceae) a New Record from Western Himalayas

Diplomeris hirsuta Lindl, (fam. Orchidaceae) a terrestrial orchid reported previously from Nepa, Western Bhutan and Eastern India has now been recorded from Dogaon forest, District Nainital, Uttar Pradesh, where a characteristically localised distribution of the plant has been noticed. During the surveys of the vegetation the authors found Diplomeris hirsuta Lindl. (local name-Patthariphul) growing abundantly in the moist rocks iu association with a numher of liverworts, mosses, ferns and showy angiosperms like Begonia picta Sm. at Dogaon. Dogaon is situated in the outer hill ranges in tropical moist deciduous forest on Kathgodam-Nainital road about 16 km from Kathgodam to the south-cast of Nainital in a southern aspect at an altitude of about 850 m. Average annual rainfall of the place varies between 175-300 cm. The summer hiad is considerable owing to the proxlmity of the place to the plains. It is curious that this taxon escaped attention of earlier plant collectors in spite of its luxurious growth on a rock almost entirely covering it with large showy flowers on the very side of an important national highway. This orchid has not been reported earlier from any other parts of Western Himalayas.