Abstract:To understand the distribution of medicinal herb Anoectochilus roxburghii (Wall.) Lindl. in central Guangdong, the ecological-biological characteristics of A. roxburghii in Zhaoqing area were studied. The results showed that there were two wild relatives of Anoectochilus distributed in Zhaoqing, A. roxburghii and A. formosanus, which were rare and endangered, usually A. roxburghii with red leaves as medicine. Anoectochilus roxburghii is typical shallow-root and mid-shade terrestial orchid, growing under southwestern evergreen broad-leaved forest at suitable slope > 45°and canopy density of 60%-80%, with suitable temperature of 12℃-26℃. The development of A. roxburghii population was affected by ecological factors together, such as air humidity, community structure and soil humus composition. The endangered reasons of medicinal herb A. roxburghii were analyzed, and the protection measures were proposed.
