Anoectochilus sikkimensis

An older name for a Himalayan jewel orchid

Anoectochilus sikkimensis is now included within A. brevilabris. The older name reflects its connection with Sikkim, within the accepted species range from Nepal through the eastern Himalaya to Yunnan in south-western China.

Natural plants occupy humid mountain forest, commonly in moss, leaf litter and rich surface humus beneath dense vegetation. Recurring rain and mist maintain the ground layer, while the creeping stems keep their patterned leaves close to deeply filtered light.

Growing a terrestrial jewel orchid

Humidity and airflow

Anoectochilus sikkimensis responds well to high humidity. This is high enough to support thin leaves and shallow roots, but only when air continues to move softly.

Watering

Water when the top layer feels only just dry and the shallow root ball beneath is still cool and faintly moist. Long dryness crisps the velvet leaves and stops the stem tip; continually wet compost suffocates the roots.

Light

Keep the plant near an east or north window where the leaf can see open sky without receiving hot direct rays. Strong sun can leave permanent patches on the velvet blade.

Temperature

Maintain Anoectochilus sikkimensis in steady warmth and away from chilling temperatures. Chilled wet mix stops root activity, while radiator air crisps thin leaf edges.

Fertilising

Give Anoectochilus sikkimensis a very dilute complete fertiliser during active root and leaf growth. Continue only if the plant remains active.

Repotting

Repot Anoectochilus sikkimensis after fine roots fill the drainage area, the mix no longer drains cleanly or the creeping growth runs beyond the pot. Increase the container size only slightly and keep the container shallow.

Why this plant resembles Anoectochilus brevilabris

• The plant looks almost identical to Anoectochilus brevilabris: That is expected because A. sikkimensis is now treated as a synonym of A. brevilabris. Do not interpret the lack of a sharply different leaf shape or vein pattern as mislabelling or poor growth.
• Spreading heart-shaped leaves vary in their contrasting network: Plants circulating under the older name are not one uniform clone. Vein density and colour can differ while the leaf remains healthy, so use tissue firmness rather than an exact photograph as the diagnostic check.
• The surface runner remains partly above the mix: Keep the creeping stem close to, rather than buried beneath, an open moist surface. Roots can enter at the nodes while the stem stays exposed to air.
• A central flower spike appears and leaf growth stops at that tip: Terminal flowering ends the current shoot but not the whole plant. Retain its firm lower nodes, where the replacement growth can begin after flowering.
• The plant collapses although the enclosure is humid: Check the stem and roots for saturation rather than increasing humidity. Remove soft material, improve air exchange and reset sound growth in damp but porous medium.

Keep Anoectochilus sikkimensis away from children and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs.
• Its effects after chewing or swallowing are unclear, and plant material can still cause an upset stomach.
• Contact a veterinarian or medical professional if symptoms develop or do not settle.

Why is Anoectochilus sikkimensis now called Anoectochilus brevilabris?

Anoectochilus combines Greek anoiktos, meaning open, with cheilos, meaning lip, referring to the spreading form of the flower’s labellum. The epithet sikkimensis was named for Sikkim in the eastern Himalaya, using the geographical ending -ensis.

Carl Ludwig Blume established the genus Anoectochilus in 1825 in Bijdragen tot de Flora van Nederlandsch Indië, page 411.

George King and Robert Pantling first described Anoectochilus sikkimensis in 1896 in Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Part 2, Natural History, volume 65, page 124.

Kew’s World Checklist treats Anoectochilus sikkimensis as a synonym of Anoectochilus brevilabris. John Lindley first described Anoectochilus brevilabris in 1840 in Genera and Species of Orchidaceous Plants, page 499.