Butterfly Orchid
Papilionanthe cylindrica
- Habit
- Herb
- Found in India
- Karnataka
- Flowering
- February-April
How to identify Butterfly Orchid
Identify Butterfly Orchid 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: Purple.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: February-April.
- In India, compare location records such as Karnataka.
- Confirm it sits within the Orchidaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Butterfly Orchid.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Papilionanthe cylindrica
- Genus
- Papilionanthe
- Family
- Orchidaceae
- Habit
- Herb
- Habitat
- Evergreen and shola forests
- Habitat type
- Forest
- Native to
- Sri Lanka
- Distribution
- India, Sri Lanka
- Found in India
- Karnataka
- Flowering & fruiting
- February-April
- 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
- PurplerecordedPurple or violet
Typical of the family
- Flower symmetry
- Zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Raceme
- Fruit
- Capsule
Characters marked “recorded” are for Butterfly Orchid itself; the rest are typical of the Orchidaceae family — flowering plants only.
About Butterfly Orchid
Butterfly Orchid (Papilionanthe cylindrica) belongs to the Orchidaceae family, where it grows as a herb. In India it has been recorded in Karnataka. It grows in evergreen and shola forests. Flowering and fruiting run from February to April.
Orchidaceae
Orchid family
Butterfly Orchid 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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