Species diversity of epiphytic orchids in natural reserve of Mount Sibela, North Moluccas

TLDR: Sibela Mount Natural Reserve is located in South Halmahera, North Moluccas, Indonesia as discussed by the authors, which covers a 23 232 ha area of coastal forest, lowland rain forest, and highland rain forests.

Abstract: Sibela Mount Natural Reserve is located in South Halmahera, North Moluccas, Indonesia. It covers a 23 232 ha area of coastal forest, lowland rain forest and highland rain forest. The altitude range between 0 m to 2 110 m. above sea level (asl). Orchid exploration and inventory were conducted to study orchid diversity and distribution on this conservation areas. Observation on the population of epiphyte orchids was also done to study the dominant orchid in that area. It was recorded that there were 30 orchid species belonging to 14 genera (i.e. Aerides, Agrostophyllum, Bulbophyllum, Coelogyne, Dendrobium, Diplocaulobium, Eria, Flickingeria, Luisia, Pomatocalpa, Phreatia, Thelasis, Trichoglottis and Vandopsis) which were genera is the member of Epidendroideae subfamily. The genus with the highest frequency (44.59 %) was Dendrobium. Regarding elevation, the highest distribution of the epiphytic orchids in coastal forest and lowland rain forest ecosystem at 0 m to 600 m. asl.