Question 1

What is Habenaria crinifera?

Accepted Answer

Habenaria crinifera is a terrestrial orchid native to Sri Lanka, belonging to the family Orchidaceae. It is listed in Sri Lanka's official catalogue of Ayurvedic medicinal plants and grows from an underground tuber in moist highland habitats. The plant is seasonal, emerging and flowering during and after the monsoon period before dying back underground.

Question 2

What are the medicinal uses of Habenaria crinifera in Ayurveda?

Accepted Answer

In South Asian Ayurvedic tradition, the tubers of Habenaria species have been used as tonics and restorative preparations, sometimes grouped under categories associated with strength and vitality. Habenaria crinifera is recognised within Sri Lanka's Ayurvedic plant system, though modern clinical research on this specific species remains limited. Its traditional uses should be understood as part of a long-established body of botanical knowledge rather than a clinically validated pharmacological record.

Question 3

Where does Habenaria crinifera grow in Sri Lanka?

Accepted Answer

The species favours moist, well-drained soils in the wet and intermediate zones of Sri Lanka, particularly at mid-elevation sites near montane and submontane forests. It tends to grow in grassy clearings and forest margins where seasonal rainfall provides the conditions it needs. Flowering typically occurs during or after the south-west monsoon, roughly between May and September.

Question 4

Is Habenaria crinifera an endemic species in Sri Lanka?

Accepted Answer

Not all members of the Habenaria genus in Sri Lanka are endemic — some are shared with other parts of South and Southeast Asia. The precise endemic status of Habenaria crinifera specifically would require confirmation from current botanical records. Sri Lanka's orchid flora as a whole includes a notable proportion of endemic species given the island's biodiversity hotspot status.

Question 5

When is the best time to see Habenaria crinifera flowering?

Accepted Answer

As a seasonal terrestrial orchid, Habenaria crinifera typically flowers during or shortly after the south-west monsoon season, which runs from around May to September. Visiting suitable highland habitat — moist grasslands and forest margins in the wet or intermediate zone — during this period gives the best chance of encountering flowering specimens. Outside the growing season the plant retreats to an underground tuber and is effectively invisible above ground.

Question 6

Is it legal to collect Habenaria crinifera from the wild in Sri Lanka?

Accepted Answer

Sri Lanka's Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance regulates the collection and trade of wild plants, and orchids in particular are sensitive to over-harvesting. Collecting wild orchid tubers without authorisation is generally prohibited. Observers are encouraged to appreciate the plant in its natural habitat without disturbing or removing specimens.

Question 7

What does Habenaria crinifera look like?

Accepted Answer

It is a slender, ground-dwelling herb with narrow to lanceolate basal leaves and an erect flowering spike. The small flowers are greenish or whitish with an intricately fringed lip — the species name 'crinifera' refers to this hair-like or fringed structure. The flowers are modest in size but structurally complex, adapted to specific insect pollinators.