Staff Reporter

A new orchid species was discovered from Trongsa by a team of forestry officials from the range office, Trongsa and Bumthang division in September 2019.

The species, which was new worldwide, is named as Bulbophyllum trongsaense which is derived from the place of its origin. It is found in parts of Trongsa and Lhuentse. It has yellow with reddish-maroon spotted flowers and is found growing on trees.

While the species was collected last year but it was confirmed as a new species worldwide only this year.

As per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List categories and criteria, the species is endangered in the country.

In Bhutan, the genus Bulbophyllum is represented by 36 species, excluding the newly discovered species, available in the country. Bhutan is estimated to harbour around 500 species of orchids since many parts of the country still remain unexplored.

“The discovery of such species is a clear indication that the country is rich in biodiversity and needs further exploration to have precise numbers of wild flora and fauna in the country,” a press release from agriculture and forests ministry stated.