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| Vanda thwaitesii Hook.f. in Gopallawa, Madola, Yakandawala, Jayasinghe et Ranasinghe, 2025. |
Summary
Vanda thwaitesii, an endemic species to Sri Lanka was rediscovered nearly 160 years after its presumed extinction from the Rangala area of the Knuckles Mountain range, marking the first sighting since its initial record in 1861. The occurrence of this species in India was reported in 1998, however, later it was identified as a different species, Vanda sathishii. Rediscovery of V. thwaitesii was a part of a project ‘National Botanical Survey’ conducted by Department of National Botanic Gardens, Sri Lanka. A lectotypification, a detailed taxonomic description and a detailed illustration are provided. Based on the IUCN Red List categories and criteria, V. thwaitesii is assessed as Critically Endangered.
Key Words: Biodiversity Conservation, Critically Endangered, Knuckles Mountain, Vanda sathishii.
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| Vanda thwaitesii. A, B flower (front view); C flower (side view); D habit; E flower (showing adaxial view of the lip); F flower (lateral view); G column and labellum (front view); H leaf tip (adaxial view); J floral bract (adaxial view); K dissected flower; L column and labellum (lateral view); M lip (abaxial view); N seed capsules. photos: Himesh Jayasinghe & Bhathiya Gopallawa. |
Vanda thwaitesii Hook.f. (Hooker 1898: 193); Jayaweera (1981: 220).
Type: Sri Lanka, Knuckles Mountains, Rangala area, Hunnasgiriya,
coloured painting with floral analysis by H. de Alwis labelled Aerides tessellata and numbered C.P. 3378 (lectotype: icon. PDA!, designated here), ....
coloured painting with floral analysis by H. de Alwis labelled Aerides tessellata and numbered C.P. 3378 (lectotype: icon. PDA!, designated here), ....
Bhathiya Gopallawa, Indrakheela Madola, Deepthi Yakandawala, Himesh Jayasinghe and Subhani Ranasinghe. 2025. Rediscovery of the endemic Vanda thwaitesii (Orchidaceae) after 160 years in the central highlands of Sri Lanka and its lectotypification. Kew Bulletin. DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s12225-025-10280-1 [10 July 2025]
