Gastrodia arunachalensis
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Gastrodia arunachalensis faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to deforestation and agricultural expansion in its limited range within Arunachal Pradesh, India. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to local disturbances, while its mycoheterotrophic lifestyle creates additional vulnerability through dependence on specific fungal partners that may themselves be threatened by environmental changes.
Habitat
This mycoheterotrophic orchid inhabits the understory of subtropical and temperate forests in Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India, where it depends entirely on fungal partners for nutrition. The species requires specific forest floor conditions with rich organic matter and stable moisture levels typical of undisturbed forest ecosystems.
