A rare, leafless orchid species last recorded in the Khasi Hills during the British colonial period has been rediscovered in Meghalaya after a gap of 175 years, exciting botanists while raising urgent concerns over its survival in the region’s fragile ecosystem. The orchid, Chamaegastrodia vaginata—commonly known as the “ghost orchid”—was rediscovered by scientists from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Eastern Regional Centre, Shillong. The finding represents the oldest documented plant rediscovery in Meghalaya. The species was located during botanical field surveys conducted under the project Parasitic Angiosperms of Meghalaya by researchers Yalatoor Mahesh, Rikertre Lytan and Ramalingam Kottaimuthu. Their findings have been published in the peer-reviewed journal Vegetos.
The orchid was found in Lawsohtun, Upper Shillong. To confirm its identity, the research team examined historical botanical literature and compared the specimen with type materials preserved at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The examination confirmed that the plant matched the species first described in the mid-19th century. Chamaegastrodia vaginata was originally collected in 1850 from Mamloo in the Khasi Hills by noted botanists J.D. Hooker and Thomas Thomson. It had not been recorded in India since then, leading to speculation that the species may have become locally extinct. Unlike most orchids, the species is leafless and lacks chlorophyll. It survives through mycoheterotrophy—a rare ecological strategy in which it derives nutrients from underground fungi associated with decomposing organic matter in forest soils. This specialised mode of survival makes the plant extremely sensitive to habitat disturbance.
Researchers believe its small size and brief flowering period may explain why the orchid remained undetected for decades despite repeated botanical surveys in the area. However, the rediscovery has also highlighted serious conservation concerns. Fewer than 25 mature individuals were documented, confined to an area of less than 20 square metres.Owing to its extremely small population and restricted distribution, the species has been provisionally assessed as Critically Endangered in India. Meghalaya is currently the only state in the country where the orchid is known to survive, placing a unique conservation responsibility on the state. The orchid was recorded at elevations between 1,500 and 1,650 metres in damp, disturbed evergreen broad-leaved forests, growing under the canopy of tree species such as Pinus kesiya, Castanopsis, Schima wallichii and Litsea.
Scientists have warned that rapid urban expansion, habitat degradation and unregulated tourism in and around Upper Shillong pose significant threats to the species. Even minor alterations in soil composition or forest canopy could be enough to eliminate the remaining population. Globally, Chamaegastrodia vaginata is known only from India and China, making the Khasi Hills a critical stronghold for the species’ continued survival.