Krishna Chowlu. 2022. A Glimpse into Orchids of Namsai District of Arunachal Pradesh. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehradun, India. Pp. 182. ISBN 978-93-93628-53-4.
Dr Krishna Chowlu, Scientist C, Botanical Survey of India, Arunachal Pradesh Regional Centre, Itanagar, has been working on Orchid Flora for more than a decade. She is the Life Member of ‘The Orchid Society of India’. The book AGlimpse into Orchids of Namsai District ofArunachal Pradesh presents the amalgamation of an updated checklist of orchids of Namsai District of Arunachal Pradesh, supplemented with descriptions and photographs of orchids allowing the reader a better understanding and develop great interest towards most fascinating and diverse plant family, Orchidaceae. This book lists a total of 73 orchid taxa. Amongst these, 9 species are terrestrial, 1 is myco-heterotroph, and rest are epiphytic. Dendrobium with 15 species is the dominant genus. Anumber of species, e.g.,Aerides rosea, Dendrobium fimbriatum,
D. nobile, D. transparens, Papilionanthe teres, and Rhynchostylis retusa are also grown in the home gardens. Apart from the basic information on orchids, their history, medicinal properties, and artificial key to genera are also provided. Presentation of text and photographs contains photo plates and brief description of the species. For each taxon, the correct name with protologue citation, followed by concise information of life forms, phenology, and Indian and global distribution is provided. The morphological characters oforchids including different typesof pollinia, gynostegium/ column, labellum, floral morphology, and tubers have beendescribed in the book. Minute variations in different species of same genera are excellently demarcated