Elicitation of Dactylorhin-E and studying anticancerous potential of Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D.Don)

Abstract

1.1 INTRODUCTION Dactylorhiza hategirea (D. Don) Soo is a monocotyledon plant of family Orchidaceae. It is also known as Panch aunle, Hatajadi (Nepali), Aralu, Salap (Sanskrit), Ongu lakpa (Sherpa) and Lob. 1.1.1 Geographical Distribution: It is a medicinal orchid which is found abundantly in Hindu Kush Himalaya range. Its occurrence is alpine and sub-alpine zones with an altitude of 2800-4200 m above from sea level. Other than Nepal Himalayas, it occurs in the same parts of India, Pakistan, Bhutan and China also. In India, it is commonly found in Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. 1.1.2 Morphology: It is an erect, terrestrial herb and reaches up to the height of 60 cm, with palmately divided tuberoids. LEAVES: Leaves are generally oblong-lingulate or lanceolate or elliptic. ROOTS: The plant store a huge amount of water in their tuberous roots to stay alive under arid conditions. FLOWERS: Flowers are 1.7 to 1.9 cm in length with purplish-lilac, curved spur, rose or rarely white. In many-flowered plant, cylindrical inflorescence is observed. The inflorescence consists of a compact raceme developed from axillary buds with 25 to 50 flowers. SEEDS: It is commonly propagated by rhizomes and seeds. Seeds are extremely small (dusty) and contain little food reserves. %. A single orchid capsule contains millions of seeds, which lack metabolic machinery and do not have any endosperm. Seed germination rate is very poor, i.e. 0.2% to 0.3. In spite of a extremely large number of seeds produced, only few seeds germinate in nature. For germination, seeds require symbiosis with mycorrhiza. The flowering Period and the fruiting Period is June-July and August-September respectively.