Researchers in Sulawesi have identified a novel species of orchid, Aerides obyrneana, commonly known as the kuku macan, or tiger claw orchid. The discovery, announced August 27, 2024, and published in the Edinburgh Journal of Botany on May 29, 2024, highlights the ongoing, but increasingly threatened, biodiversity of Indonesian orchids.
The finding comes amidst growing concern for the future of Indonesia’s native orchids, as habitat loss due to land clearing and forest exploitation continues to shrink their range. A recent report from Mongabay.co.id details the pressures facing these epiphytic plants, forcing them to adapt to increasingly fragmented habitats. Several new species have been identified in recent years, including a new species from Papua Barat in April 2025, and a leafless orchid from Sumatra discovered in March 2025.
The kuku macan orchid was found to be endemic to Sulawesi. The identification of this new species underscores the importance of continued research in the region, according to Mongabay.co.id. Other recent discoveries include two new orchid species in Raja Ampat, despite the environmental threats facing the area.
Conservation efforts are underway in several locations. In South Sulawesi, Muhammad Asri and the Kelompok Tani Mattiro Baji farming group in Bantaeng are actively propagating approximately 78 orchid species, including the popular Phalaenopsis amabilis (moon orchid), Grammatophyllum speciosum (tiger orchid), and Dipodium scandens (climbing orchid), through vegetative propagation techniques like stem cuttings. They have shifted from collecting orchids from the wild to cultivating and reintroducing them into the Campaga forest.
The group is currently working to increase production, hoping to utilize tissue culture methods to meet growing demand. Asri explained that a single parent plant can yield up to 50 new plants, which are then grown in containers made from coconut fiber, treated with fungicide. Orchids, he noted, thrive in humid, shaded conditions.
Elsewhere in Sumatra, researchers identified Chiloschista tjiasmantoi Metusala, another new orchid species, in March 2025. This orchid is notable for its ability to blend into its surroundings, growing on trees in semi-open plantations near forests, with roots resembling the bark, making it difficult to detect without flowers.
The plight of orchids in Jambi province was highlighted in September 2023, with concerns raised about the impact of land-use changes on their populations. Similarly, the unique “pouch” orchids of Bengkulu are facing threats to their survival. In North Sumatra, the Anggrek Tien orchid remains a protected endemic species.
Dian Rossana Anggraini is working to conserve orchids in Bangka Belitung, while Simon Munasikin is dedicated to protecting orchids on Mount Ungaran. The Kepulauan Malut region is also recognized as a hotspot for orchid diversity, requiring further study.
