Vanda tessellata (Roxb.) Hook. ex G. Don (Orchidaceae) an addition to the Flora of Bhitarkanika National Park, Odisha, India

Exhaustive field surveys were conducted in the aegis of ICZM Project to enumerate, recording of information and sample collection of plants of Bhitarkanika. Bhitarkanika has acquired a special position all round the globe for its rich biodiversity especially the mangroves. Its peculiar geographic location coupled with varied micro climatic conditions enables to harbour one of the richest diversity of mangroves; first in India and second in the world next to Papua New Guinea. But however there was no record of any orchid species from any mangrove forests of the state where as a healthy orchid diversity was reported from the tidal and littoral forests of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. This striking factor provides the preliminary platform to undertake survey programme for prevalence of orchids, which resulted in addition of an epiphytic orchid i.e. Vanda tessellata, which was not reported earlier from Bhitarkanika National Park. So the present communication deals with the detailed nomenclature, phytogeography, phenology of flowering, ecology etc. Concurrently some useful aspects of this taxon have also been outlined.