GENETIC DIVERSITY, PHYTOCHEMISTRY AND PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF ETHNOMEDICINALLY IMPORTANT ENDANGERED ORCHID DACTYLORHIZA HATAGIREA (D.DON) SOO.AND ITS CONSERVATION–A REVIEW

Abstract

Dactylorhiza hatagirea is a medicinal orchid extensively used in ancient traditional medicinal systems and well documented for its commercial and therapeutic value. The manifold use of this plant species and high commercial value of the tuber has resulted in its threatened status due to the over exploitation of the natural population, thereby categorized as endangered and critically endangered in its various areas of distribution. The present review focuses on the genetic diversity and the conservation status of the orchid in view of its pharmacological importance and the sustainable utilization efforts required to be taken in future.

Keywords: Genetic diversity, Phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, D. hatagirea and conservation.