jivaka :
Geographical distribution:
Malaxis acuminata is an Asiatic species distributed widely in Thailand,
China, Burma, Bhutan, Nepal, and India. In India, it dwells in the Himalayan, Khasia and
Jaintia, and peninsular (Western Ghats, Nilgiris) hills on the mainland and Andaman hills
offshore. Along the Himalayas, it extends from Shimla eastwards to Sikkim within an
altitudinal range of 1500-2300 m, and occupies humus-rich and moist substratum in
shaded situations.
ECOLOGICAL ASPECT:
-Forest, Grassland, Shrubland
Plant conservation:
-Jeevak, the orchid is a critically endangered species and collection from the wild can cause irreparable damage to the survival of this species. Collection from wild has been banned in certain states like Uttarakhand. No report on its commercial cultivation is available so far.
