Pakha Phool / Masuca Christmas Orchid
Calanthe masuca
- Habit
- Herb
- Found in India
- Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka & more
- Flowering
- August-December
How to identify Pakha Phool
Identify Pakha Phool by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a herb habit.
- Confirm flower colour: White.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: August-December.
- In India, compare location records such as Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam and nearby regions.
- Confirm it sits within the Orchidaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Pakha Phool.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Calanthe masuca
- Genus
- Calanthe
- Family
- Orchidaceae
- Habit
- Herb
- Native to
- Africa, India, Malaysia
- Found in India
- Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim
- Flowering & fruiting
- August-December
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Arrangement
- Alternate
Typical of the Orchidaceae family — a field-mark hint, not measured for this exact species.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- Whiterecorded
Typical of the family
- Flower symmetry
- Zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Raceme
- Fruit
- Capsule
Characters marked “recorded” are for Pakha Phool itself; the rest are typical of the Orchidaceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Nepali
- पाखा फूल Pakha phool
About Pakha Phool
Masuca Christmas Orchid (Calanthe masuca) belongs to the Orchidaceae family, where it grows as a herb. In India it has been recorded in Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka and 3 other states. Flowering and fruiting run from August to December.
Orchidaceae
Orchid family
Pakha Phool belongs to the Orchidaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Orchidaceae familySnap it. Know it.
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Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
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