flora of chakrata
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Wild flowers in the Middle Himalaya
10-15 October 2010
Flora of Chakrata
Sunflower family
Family: Asteraceae
Botanical: Leucanthemum vulgare
Perennial, naturalized Herb
Oxeye Daisy is a perennial herb with erect, usually
unbranched, stems to 1 ft in height. It grows from
rhizomes and hascharacteristic daisy-like flowers.
Oxeye daisy is a weed of grasslands, lawns,
roadsides, and nursery crops. The leaves initially
develop as a rosette at the base. Lower rosette leaves
occur on stalks and are from 1 1/2 to 6 inches long.
Rosette leaves have rounded teeth or lobes and are
widest at the tip and narrow to the base. Leaves that
occur on the flowering stem are stalk-less, lance-
shaped in outline, and have smaller rounded teeth or
lobes. Leaves become progressively smaller up the
flowering stem. All leaves are alternate and without
hairs. Flowers occur solitary at the end of stems, are
3-5 cm across and consist of 20 to 30 white outer
"petals" (ray florets) that are 1-1.5 cm long and many
yellow inner disk florets in the center. Oxeye Daisy is
native to West Asia and Europe, and naturalized in the
Himalayan region in India
Oxeye daisy, Dog daisy, Marguerite Daisy
Botanical: Aster thomsonii
Perennial, native herb
Thomson's Aster is a wildflower found in the
Himalayas, from Pakistan to Uttarakhand, at
altitudes of 2100-3000 m. Flower-heads are
purplish with a yellow center, usually arising
singly at ends of branches. They are 3.5-5 cm
across, with many light purple ray florets 1.3-2
cm long. Bracts are linear-lance-shaped long-
pointed, hairy, leaf-like. Leaves are ovate to
elliptic, pointed or long-pointed, coarsely
toothed, narrowed below and half stem-
clasping, 5-10 cm long. Stems are shaggy-
haired, erect, branched, 1-3 ft tall. Fruit is
hairy, much longer than the reddish pappus.
Flowering: July-September.
Thomson’s Aster
Asteraceae
?
Botanical: Anaphalis busua/surculosa
Perennial Native herb
Tall Pearly Everlasting is an erect perennial
herb, growing up to 1-4 ft tall. Leaves are
linear to narrow-lanceshaped, 3.5-6 cm long,
pointed with inrolled margins, green above,
white woolly beneath. Leaf bases have lobes
forming wings, joining the stem. Flowers are
borne in branched domed clusters 7-15 cm
across. They are tiny round flower-heads
each 4 mm across. What look like petals are
bracts which are erect in flower and
spreading in fruit. Tall Pearly Everlasting is
found in the Himalayas, from Pakistan to
Bhutan, at altitudes of 1800-3600 m.
Flowering: July-October.
Tall Pearly EverlastingBuki phool
Location: Meadow near Budher cave
Anaphalis busua
Botanical: Anaphalis contorta
Perennial, native herb
Eared-Leaf Pearly Everlasting is small herb,
usually woody at base, with erect or prostrate
stems, 15-40 cm long, usually branched,
branches and stem usually dense white woolly.
Leaves are usually numerous, more often
crowded at base, narrowly linear or oblong, eared
at base, pointed. They are densely woolly on the
lower surface, less on the upper side, margins
often curled, 1-3 cm long, 1-5 mm broad. Flower-
heads are nearly spherical, 3-4.5 mm in diameter,
arranged in rounded, densely crowded corymbs.
Tiny yellow florets are surrounded by shiny white
bracts. Eared-Leaf Pearly Everlasting is found in
the Himalayas, from Afghanistan to SW China, at
altitudes of 1500-4500 m. Flowering: June-
October.
Eared-leaf Pearly Everlasting
Botanical: Erigeron bellidioides
Family: Asteraceae
Perennial, Native herb
Daisy Fleabane are carpeting plants which
spontaneously bloom in hill-stations, on the
ground with wild grass, peering from wall
cervices, and almost any place available. This
evergreen perennial with green foliage,
produces an abundance of yellow centered,
small daisy-like flower-heads in summer. The
outer petals are initially white, maturing to
pink. Native to the Indian Subcontinent:
Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir,
Meghalaya, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Nepal,
Pakistan, Bhutan.
Location: enroute trek down to the stream near
Hotel H Paradise
Erigeron, Daisy Fleabane
Erigeron comparative references
Botanical: Jacobea raphanifolia
Perennial, native herb
Grows upto 40-50cm high
The central disc is larger than the petals
or ‘ray-florets’
Light and cool tendency. Tolerant to
wetness.
Usually found on grassy slopes of the
Himalayas at altitudes of 2300-3900m
Flowering: July-September
Diverse leaved Senecio/Senecio diversifolius
Botanical: Leontodon taraxacoides
subsp. hispida
Introduced, Noxious weed, herb
Native to Europe and North Africa, but
found on other parts of the globe.
yellow flowers which resemble
dandelions.
Grows in patches of many erect, leafless
stems forming a basal rosette of leaves.
Atop the stems are flower heads:
ligulate, containing layered rings of ray
florets with no disc florets
Flower heads yellow, 2.5 cm across,
nodding on a stout curved stalk with
yellow glandular hairs.
Location: Road edge near the Mini-cavesLesser Hawkbit
Botanical: Cicerbita macrorhiza
Native
These beautiful violet flowers look like
dandelions. A perennial plant with thick
woody root-stock, and tufted, branched,
prostrate stems upto 60 cm, sometimes
10 cm or less. Leaves are variable,
pinnately lobed, again like dandelions.
Lobes usually rounded. Flower heads
mauve blue, 1.3-2 cm across, often
drooping, in branched terminal domed
clusters.
Location: Rock surface, inner edge of the
road
Violet dandelion, Chyate
Violet Dandelion
Botanical: Tanacetum parthenium
Family: Asteraceae
Chrysantheim/pyrethum parthenium
Herb, perennial, medicinal
Location:
Wild chamomile/Midsummer daisy
Cirsium falconeri
Asteraceae
Giddh Pwankhe
Tall noticeable perennial herb
Flowerheads are cream colored, just
below are densely woolly bracts
Flowering: Aug-Sep.
Location: way to Tiger Falls
Falconer’s Thistle
Prenanthes brunoniana
Family: Asteraceae
Native, perennial
Himalayan Rattlesnake Root is an erect perennial plant
found in the Himalayas. Prenanthes plants are called
Rattlesnake Roots because early folklore, about some
species, suggested that the plant could be rubbed on
snakebites to aid in healing. It has simple or branched
stems 30-200 cm, which are often glandular-hairy
above. Leaves vary a lot - leaf blade is triangular-heart-
shaped or with cut-off base, toothed or pinnately lobed,
lobes further toothed or lobed. Leaf stalks can be long
or short. Flower blue, purple or sometimes white, 1.3-2
cm long, in numerous in lax branched clusters at the
end of branches. The botanical name Prenanthes means
bowed flowers, indicating the facing down habit of
flowers. The five narrow, long petals are turned back,
and very long blue and white stamens protrude out.
This flowers is commonly found at altitudes of 1800-
3600 m. Flowering July-October.
Himalayan Rattlesnake root
Botanical: Inula cuspidata
Native, perennial shrub
Lanceleaf Inula is a shrub which grows
on the slopes of deep. wet valleys in
outer Himalayas. Stem leaves are oval-
lancelike, the upper ones gradually
sharpening. Leaves are 3-5 inches long,
with usually sharp tips. Flowers occur in
an umbrella-shaped cluster at the top of
the stem. Flowers have bright yellow
"petals" (ray florets), and a dark
orangish disk at the center. It is found in
the Himalayas at altitudes of 300 m and
above.
Lance-leaf Inula
Botanical: Synotis rufinervis
Perennial, native herb
Red-Nerved Senecio is a tall aromatic woody
herb, growing up to 3 ft tall. The leaves are
shortly stalked, ovate long pointed, 5-8 x 2-4
inches, toothed sharply. Underside of the
leaves is white except the nerves, thus the
nerves appearing reddish. Yellow flowers are
borne in velvety inflorescence of numerous
flower-heads. Flower-heads are slender, 8-9
mm long, 6-10 in small rounded corymbs.
Each flower-head has 2-5 ray florets. The
roots are cylindrical. Red-Nerved Senecio is
found in the Himalayas, in Uttaranchal and
Nepal at the altitude of 1800–3000 m.
Flowering: July-October.
Red-nerved Senecio
Botanical: Myriactis nepalensis
Perennial Native Herb
Nepal Myriactis is a perennial herb, usually robust, up
to 1 m tall. Stems are erect, branched from middle or
the base, branches rising. Stems and branches are
hairless. Middle stem leaves are elliptic or ovate-
elliptic, 4-10 X 2.5-4.5 cm, margin coarsely toothed,
base maerging into winged stalks. Leaf stalks expanded
and contracted at base. Basal and lower leaves are
large, sometimes lobed or parted, lateral lobes 1-2-
paired, stalks up to 10 cm, upper leaves gradually
smaller, elliptic or long lanceshaped. Flower-heads are
spherical or hemispherical, 1-1.5 cm, solitary or
numerous, in lax corymbs or corymb-like clusters. Ray
florets are female, many-seriate, rays rounded, apically
rounded, or emarginate; disc florets are tubular, with
broadly bell-shaped limb, 4-toothed, tube puberulent.
Nepal Myriactis is found in the Himalayas, from
Afghanistan to SW China, and SE Asia, at altitudes of
1400-3900 m. Flowering: April-November.
Nepal Myriactis Nepali: थु�के� फू� ल Thuke phool , Lavenia dentata, Lavenia sphaerantha, Myriactis wallichii
Ruellia family
Family: Acanthaceae
Botanical: Strobilanthes wallichi
Acanthaceae (ruellia family)
Kashmir acanthus is a forest perennial herb, with
erect grooved stem, up to 50 cm tall, but usually
much smaller. Leaves are ovate-lanceshaped,
long-pointed, margin coarsely toothed, white
hairy, with 6 pairs of lateral nerves. Flowers are
blue, about 4 cm long, occuring singly or in
pairs, forming a leafy interrupted spike. Bracts
are persistent and leaf-like. Sepals are hairy,
linear blunt. Flower tube is broad, cruved, with
oblique mouth and short rounded petals.
Kashmir acanthus occurs in the Himalayas, from
Pakistan to C. Nepal, at altitudes of 1300-3600
m. Flowering: June-August.
Location: Stream near Hotel Himalayan Paradise
Kashmir acanthus, Wild petunia
Campalluna
Non-native
Bellflower
Canterbury bells?
Botanical: Strobilanthes tomentosa
Family: Acanthaceae (Ruellia)
Perennial, Native shrub
Blue Trumpet Bush is a small shrub, up to 1.2 m
tall, with densely white- felted lower branches.
Oppositely arranged leaves are elliptic, pointed,
5-10 cm long, margin with rounded teeth. Leaf
underside is often dense white-woolly. Leaves
are stalked. Flowers are blue, violet or purplish,
borne in 4-8 flowered clusters. Flowers are up to
2.5 cm long, narrow tubular at the base,
enlarged upwards, opening into 5 rounded
spreading petals. Sepal cup is densely
glandular-hairy, with linear sepals about 1 cm.
Blue Trumpet Bush is found in the Himalayas,
from Pakistan to Bhutan, at altitudes of 300-
2400 m. Flowering: August-October.
Blue Trumpet Bush(Nepali: केगराइतो� फू� ल Kangaraito phool )
Trumpet Bush
Botanical: Goldfussia pentastemonoides
Perennial Native Shrub Acanthaceae(Ruellia
family)
Himalayan Goldfussia is a much-branched shrub
1-3 m across. It sports mauvish-blue to white
tubular flowers, borne in long-stalked rounded
heads, in leaf axils. The heads, when young, are
encircled by the outer rounded pale bracts which
soon fall off. Flowers are curved, 3-4 cm long,
nearly hairless. Sepals cup has linear hairy sepals,
up to 1 cm long. Leaves are elliptic long-pointed,
up to 18 cm long. Margins are closely toothed, and
the leaf is gradually narrowed to a winged leaf-
stalk. Capsule is cylindric, about 1.8 cm long.
Himalayan Goldfussia is found in the Himalayas,
from Himachal Pradesh to Bhutan, SW China and
SE Asia, at altitudes of 1000-2700 m. Flowering:
August-October.
Himalayan Goldfussia
Peristrophe montana
Acanthaceae (Ruellia family)
Mountain Peristrophe
Peristrophe
Family: Acanthaceae
Magenta plant/Mountain Peristrophe/Stinking Foldwing
Amaranth family
Family: Amaranthaceae
Botanical: Achyranthes bidentata
Perennial Native Herb
Two-toothed Chaff Flower is an erect, perennial herb, 0.7-1.2 m
tall, distributed in hilly districts of India, Java, China and Japan.
Stem green or tinged purple, with opposite branches. Leaf
stalk 0.5-3 cm, hairy; leaf blade elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate,
rarely oblanceolate, 4.5-12 × 2-7.5 cm. Flower spikes terminal
or axillary, 3-5 cm; rachis 1-2 cm, white hairy. Flowers dense, 5
mm. Tepals shiny, lanceolate, 3-5 mm, with a midvein, apex
acute. Stamens 2-2.5 mm; pseudostaminodes slightly
serrulate, apex rounded. Utricles yellowish brown, shiny,
oblong, 2-2.5 mm, smooth. Seeds light brown, oblong, 1 mm.
Seed are cooked and eaten. A good substitute for cereal grains
in bread-making, they have often been used for this purpose
during famine. Flowering: July-September. Leaves are used as a
vegetable in the same manner as spinach.
Medicinal uses: Traditional Chinese herb used to nourish the
kidney and liver, drain 'dampness' and promote circulation.
Prescribed for difficult urination, painful urethritis, suppressed
menstruation. Commonly used to treat traumatic injuries,
stiffness and pain of the lower back and loins and for weakness
in the legs and feet. Do not use during pregnancy.
Location: Near Museum
Two-toothed Chaff Flower, Ox knee, Pig's knee
Botanical: Prunella vulgaris
Family: Lamiaceae(Mint family)
Herb, Native
Found on meadows and open slopes
Common Self-Heal is a herb found on the meadows and open slopes of the
Himalayas, from Afghanistan to Bhutan. Flowers are bright blue-violet,
rarely pink or white, up to 1.5 cm long. They are borne in whorls of 6.
Flowers are 2-lipped and tubular, the top lip is a purple hood, and the
bottom lip has three lobes with the middle lobe being larger and fringed.
Sepal cup is also tubular and 2-lipped, purplish. The inflorscence contains
many purplish overlapping bracts. Stems are 10-30 cm long, creeping or
rising. Leaves are ovate or ovate-oblong, 1.5-6 × 0.7-2.5 cm. There is a pair
of leaves just below the inflorescence. Common Self-Heal is found at
altitudes of 1500-3600 m. Common Self-Heal was once proclaimed to be a
holy herb and was thought to be sent by God to cure all ailments of man or
beast. It was said to drive away the devil, which lead to the belief that Heal-
All was grown in the Witches garden as a disguise. The root was also used
to make a tea to drink in ceremonies before going hunting by one Native
American tribe to sharpen the powers of observation.[ Flowering: May-
September.
Medicinal uses: Heal-all is both edible and medicinal. It can be used in
salads, soups, stews, or boiled as a pot herb. It has been used as an
alternative medicine for centuries on just about every continent in the
world, and for just about every ailment. Heal-All is something of a panacea,
it does seem to have some medicinal uses that are constant. It is taken
internally as a medicinal tea in the treatment of fevers, diarrhoea, sore
mouth and throat, internal bleeding, and weaknesses of the liver and heart.
Location: Meadow near Budher Cave
Common Self-heal/Heart of the Earth
Wikstroemia canescens
Family: Thymelaeaceae (Daphne family)
Perennial native shrub
Himalayan Tie Bush is a small shrub with many
slender branches, with narrow-eeliptic or oblong
leaves. Leaves are 3-6 cm long, silky when young,
but becoming hairless. Greenish yellow tubular
flowers are borne in rounded or sometimes
elongates short-stalked clusters. Flowers have a
slender tube 0.8-1.2 cm long, silky-haired on the
outside, with 4 short, blunt, spreading petals.
Young shoots are hairy. Stems are up to 2 m. Fruit
is narrow ovoid, black when ripe, enclosed at first
in the hairy tube, which splits and falls off.
Himalayan Tie Bush is found in the Himalayas,
from Afghanistan to Sikkim, and Sri Lanka and
China, at altitudes of 1800-3000 m. Flowering:
May-September.
Himalayan tie bush
Cynoglossum zeylanicum
Family: Boraginaceae
Ceylon Forget-me-not/Alpine forget-me-not/Scree plant?
Prunus cerasiodes
Family: Rosaceae
Wild Himalayan CherryPadam/padmaka
Impatiens Bicolor/amphorata
Family: Balsaminaceae
Amphora Balsam
Family: Balsaminaceae
Impatiens stenantha
Impatiens scabrida/cristata
Rugged Yellow Balsam
2400-4000m
Flowering: June-Aug
Perennial
Flowers range from yellow-orange & wine
red
Commonly seen growing on open
meadows, scrubberies and alpine grazing
grounds
Cinquefoil Potentilla atrosanguinea
Morina longifonia
Family: Dipsacaceae
Perennial native herb
Glossy dark green leaves, sharp spines
along margins
White to pink to rosy red
3000-4000 m
Flowering: June-Sept
Himalayan Whorlflower
Bstorta amplexicaulis var. speciosa
Polygonaceae(Knotweed)
Red mountain fleeceflower/Red Bistorta
Bistorta amplexicaulis
Polygonaceae (Knotweed)
Perennial herb
Ovate, heart-shaped stem leaves
Flowering: June-sept
White mountain fleeceflower/White Bistorta(Amli,Kutyra)
Botanical: Cotoneaster microphyllus
2200-4400m
Flowering: Apr-June
Evergreen shrub, native
Forms a mat over large rock surfaces,
sending roots into crevices, prevents soil
erosion
Branches are used for making baskets,
scarlet colored fruits are sweet tasting &
are eaten in some areas
Cotton EasterBhedda
Codonopsis convolvulaceae
Codonopsis
Family: Geraniaceae
Commonly found in roadside shrubbery
2400-3000m
Flowers Singly or in pairs
Roots used to cure headache and
rheumatic pains
Flowering: june-sept
Geranium wallichianumRatijari
Malva sylvestris
Malvaceae(Mallow)
Perennial, herb
High Mallow/Common MallowKubaajee
Geranium nepalense
Family: Geraniaceae (Geranium family)
Perennial native herb
Nepal Geranium is a very beautiful wildflower
which surprisingly does not figure in Polunin and
Stainton's Flowers of the Himalaya. It is a
creeping, spreading herb, which varies from being
velvety to hairy. Stems are 1-3, slender, 1-2.5 ft
long, sometimes rooting at the nodes. Leaves are
palmately cut into 5-7 lobes, which are further cut,
1-3.5 x 1.5-6 cm. Flowers are small, white with 5
spreading petals which are flat or shallowly
notched at the tip. Petals have violet lines towards
the base. At the center is a pinkish red stigma,
surrounded by charming violet colored anthers.
Nepal Geranium is found in the Himalayas, from
Afghanistan to NE India, at altitudes of 1500-2900
m. Flowering: April-September.
Nepal Geranium
Botanical:
H
Polygalaceae sp.Milkwort
Herb?
Parasite
(Pepper)
Pepromia tetraphylla
Botanical: Swertia paniculata
Family: Gentianaceae
Annual native herb
Roots are yellow & fibrous
Grows up to 80-120 cm tall. Roots are yellow and fibrous.
Branched stems are slender, erect, 1.5-4 mm in diameter.
Basal leaves wither away at maturity. Stem leaves are
nearly stalkless, narrow lance-shaped, 2-5.5 cm long, 4-14
mm wide, margin fringed with hairs. Inflorescences are
panicles of cymes, many flowered, spreading, to 70 cm.
Flower stalks are erect, 0.6-1.5 cm long. Flowers are 5
parted, meaning with most parts occuring in fives. Sepal
tube is 1-1.5 mm, with ovate-lance-shaped sepals, 6-10 × 2-
5 mm. Flowers are pale yellow- green, with 2 blackish purple
spots above each nectary. Flower tube is 1-1.5 mm, with
ovate petals, 6-8 mm long, with narrow tips. Nectaries are 1
per petal, horseshoe-shaped, naked. Stamens are 4-5 mm
long, with purple anthers. Capsules are ovoid, 8-10 mm.
Decoction is used as tonic. Treatment of malaria.
Flowering: Aug-Oct
Location: ….11th October
Panicled SwertiaChiraita
Heracleum candicanus
Heracleum pinnatum
Conium maculatum
Family: Apiaceae (Carrot family)
Poison Hemlock is a tall, much branched and
gracefully growing plant, with elegantly-cut
foliage and white flowers. It is a biennial herb
growing up to 1.5–2.5 m tall, with a smooth
green stem, usually spotted or streaked with red
or purple on the lower half. Leaves are finely
divided and lacy, overall triangular in shape, up
to 50 cm long and 40 cm broad. Flowers are
small, white, clustered in umbels up to 10-15 cm
across. When crushed, the leaves and root emit
an unpleasant odor, sometimes compared to that
of parsnips or mice. In India it is mostly found in
Jammu and Kashmir. It is also cultivated for use
in homeopathy.
Location: Devban/ Mohna village?
Poison Hemlock
Botanical: Clematis connata
Family: Ranunculaceae(Buttercup family)
Perennial Native climber
A vigorous climber from the Himalayas,
with delicate nodding yellow bells with
recurved sepals. The flowers are
somewhat hidden behind the rather big
leaves. This Clematis is distinguished by
its leaf-stalks fused at base and often
forming large flat disks. Leaves are
pinnate - leaflets oval-lancelike to heart-
shaped, sharply irregularly toothed,
hairless. The bell-shaped flowers occur in
branched axillary clusters, and have pale
yellow anthers. Flowers are mildly sweet
scented.
Himalayan Clematis
Clematis connata
Himalayan Clematis
Anemone sylvestris
Wood anemone
Wood anemone/Anemone sylvestris
Ipomoea Purpurea
Family: Convolvulaceae
Naturalized, annual climber
Native to mexico, Central Am.
Common Morning Glory
Ipomoea indica
Family: Convolvulaceae
Common Morning Glory
Ipomea carnea
Alangium platanifolium
Family: Alangiaceae
Lobed-leaf alangium
Botanical: Solanum jasminoides
Family: Solanaceae (Potato family)
Attractive, shrubby twining climber gives an
almost perpetual display of showy blue-tinged
white blossoms. Good ornamental cover for
fences or walls, or growing across lattice for
shade. Solanum jasminoides has a scent that is
worthy of its name. The fragrance is not as
overpowering as with some jasmines. In areas
that have reasonable conditions Potato Vines
are frequently grown. It is a reliable plant that
blooms very well in the spring and has a mild
perfume. It will even bloom in more shade than
most other vines. It is hard to kill with too
much or too little water once established.
Solanum jasminoides could be termed 'garden
hardy'.
Potato Vine Manipuri: Morok Lei
Sarcococca saligna
Family: Buxaceae Sweet-box
Willow-Leaf Sweet-Box is an evergreen shrub,
growing up to 2 m tall. Stems are green and
leaves are narrow, 5-10 cm, shining, leathery,
like willow leaves. Flowers are greenish-white,
in short dense clusters, 6-10 mm in leaf axils.
Flowers almost sessile, unisexual. Bracts are
ovate, 2 mm long. Sepals are elliptic to broadly
elliptic, 2-3 mm long, l.5-2 mm wide, blunt.
Stamens have 6-7 mm long filaments and 2-3
mm long anthers. Fruit is purple, ovoid, 7-8
mm long. Willow-Leaf Sweet-Box is found in
moist and shady places in the Himalayas, from
Aghanistan to W. Nepal, at altitudes of 1200-
2400 m. Flowering: September-May.
Willow-leaf Sweet-boxGeru, Piruli, Tiliari
Daphne papyracea
Thymelaeceae(Daphne)
Evergreen shrub
Paper is made of inner fibrous bark
November-april
Indian Paper plantsatpura
Nash jhaar
Botanical: Zingiber chrysanthum or rubens(Bengal
Ginger)
Zingiberaceae (Ginger family)
Native
This is a plant from the sub-tropical forest margins
in the Himalayan foothills of Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim
and Darjeeling at 450 m to 1,600 m. The leafy stems
grow to 1.2 m to 2 m with fresh green leaves about
25 cm long and 7 cm wide with a downy pubescence
on the under surface. Borne at the base of the stems
direct on the rhizome, these have elongated petals
varying in colour from creamy-white to orange and
yellow. However, it is the seed capsules that are the
interesting bit: as the stems die down in autumn,
these turn a brilliant crimson-red in colour and
remain showy for a long time; indeed, ground-
hugging as they are, they will leave viewers
guessing as to just what they are looking at.
Golden flowered Ginger Bengal Ginger
Kanphuti?
2800-4000m
Flowering: June-Aug
Flowers are variable in color usually
deep yellow & reddish orange
Geum elatum Avens
Delphinium jacquemontianum
Perennial, native herb
Grows mostly on scree
Flowers are blue to purple
High altitude plant
4300-5000m
Flowering: July-Sept.
Musk Larkspur
Inner petals are blackish
Musk Larkspur
Pedicularis rhinanthoides
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Dog flower family
July-sept
Rattle Lousewort
Reinwardtia indica
Family: Linaceae(Linseed)
Grazed by animals
Flowering: Nov.-May
Yellow Flax/Golden girlBasanti
Botanical: Viola canescens var. serpens
Family: Violaceae (Violet family)
Perennial, Native herb
Himalayan White Violet is a nearly prostrate herb
found in the Himalayas, from Kashmir to NE India, at
altitudes of 1500-2400 m. Flowers are pale violet,
often almost white, 1-1.8 cm across, with a short
blunt spur, and hairy sepals, on erect stalks 5-15 cm
long. Petals are up to 1.5 cm long, about 4 mm
broad, obovate, obtuse, upper two are wedge-
shaped, two lateral ones are narrower and bearded
at the base, marked with dark coloured streaks.
Lower most petals is the shortest, patterned with
dark coloured stripes. Leaves are ovate-heartshaped
to kidney-shaped with a blunt tip. Leaves are rather
thick and covered with grey hairs. Leaf stalks are
also covered with down-curved hairs. Stipules are
lance-shaped. Flowering: March-June.
Himalayan White Viola
Parochetus communis
Family: Fabaceae (Pea family)
Tubrous, prostate perennial
Dormant during winter
Three-part leaves have leaflets which are
inverted heart-shaped
Flowering: May-Nov.
Blue Oxalis/Shamrock Pea
Rubia manjith/manjista/cordifolia
manjista
Family: Rubiaceae(Coffee)
Perennial native climber
Used as dye roots and stems
Roots also used as medicine
Flowering: June-Nov
Manjith
Botanical: Spermadictyon suaveolens var. azureum
Rubiaceae (Coffee family)
Blue Forest Champa is a branched shrub, growing up to 1-2 m
tall. The species name suaveolens means sweet-scented, and
refers to the fragrant flowers. The variety name azureum
means blue, referring to the bluish flowers of this close cousin
of the white-flowered [Forest Champa. Oppositely arranged
elliptic-lancelike leaves, 10-20 cm, are finely velvety.] Leaf
stalks are 1-2 cm long. Flowers occur in many-flowered
spherical heads, arrange in panicles at the end of branches.
The spherical heads are 5-10 cm across. Flowers are fragrant,
in bunches of 5 or more. Sepals are small, very narrow, and
tapering. Flowers pale bluish or pinkish, with a relatively long
tube and short, oblong petals. The tube is slender, funnel-
shaped, up to 1.5 cm long, with 4-5 short petals, spreading up
to 8 mm. Stamens remain inside the flower throat. Style with
5-lobed stigma protrudes out of the flower. Fruit is capsule-
like, crowned by the leftover sepals. In China it is grown for its
showy, fragrant flowers. Only seen wild in India. This flower is
seen in Western Ghats and Himalayas, from Pakistan to SE
Tibet, at altitudes of 700-2300 m.
Flowering: October-March.
Blue Forest Champa (Hindi: Padera, Padwa, Mahabal, Barcha • Marathi: गिगडे�सा Gidesa • Nepali: बन चाँ�प Ben champa)
Salvia leucantha
Family: Lamiaceae
Introduced
Mexican Bush Sage, Velvet Sage
Botanical: Urtica dioica
Family: Urticaceae(Nettle family)
Perennial Native Herb
Stinging nettle is a very interesting plant. It looks like an ordinary,
hairy weed with attractive little flowers, until touches it with bare
hands. It gives a terrible sting, which is very painful. It is a
perennial herb, 3-7 ft tall, dying down to the ground in winter. It
has widely spreading rhizomes and stolons, which are bright
yellow as are the roots. The soft green leaves are 3-15 cm long
and are borne oppositely on an erect wiry green stem. The leaves
have a strongly serrated margin, a heart-shaped base and a long-
pointed tip with a terminal leaf tooth longer than adjacent
laterals. Each leaf has a pair of elliptic stipules at the base. This
is a distinguishing feature of the plant. It bears small greenish or
brownish numerous flowers in dense clusters in leaf axils. The
leaves and stems are very hairy with non-stinging hairs and also
bear many stinging hairs, whose tips come off when touched,
transforming the hair into a needle that will inject several
chemicals: acetylcholine, histamine, 5-HT or serotonin, and
possibly formic acid. This mixture of chemical compounds cause a
painful sting. The pain and itching from a nettle sting can last
from only a few minutes to as long as a week. In India, Stinging
Nettle is found in the Himalayas, from Pakistan to SW China, at
altitudes of 1000-2500 m. Flowering: August-September.
Stinging Nettle, Bichchhu, Kali, Kandadli
Hedera nepalensis/sinensis
Native climber
Family: Araliaceae (Aralia family)
Himalayan Ivy is a woody climber, up to 30 m
long, climbing into tall trees by aerial roots.
Leaves are ovate to lanceshaped, leathery, dark-
green, glossy, 5-15 cm long. Young leaves are 3-
5-lobed, ivy-like. Flowers are tiny, many,
yellowish-green, ins talked spherical umbels 1.5-2
cm across, which are arranged in domed clusters
up to 8 cm across. Flowers have 5 elliptic petals,
3 mm long, mostly turned backwards. In the
buds, the petals are placed edge-to-edge. Fruit is
round, about 6 mm, shining yellow, turning black.
Himalayan Ivy is found in the Himalayas, from
Afghanistan to SW China and Burma, at altitudes
of 1800-3000 m. Flowering: September-October
Himalayan Ivy?Assamese: Mej-peosree • Hindi: Bano, Lablab, Mithiari, Kural
Botanical: Nicandra physaloides
Family: Solanaceae(Potato family)
Annual, naturalised herb
Shoo-Fly Plant, is a coarse, erect annual that is
native to Peru. The large alternate leaves reach up
to 1 foot long and somewhat resemble Datura
leaves. Plants will reach 3 to 8 feet in height and
are about half as wide. They can become very
weedy and have become a noxious weed in the
tropics. All parts of the plant are poisonous and
care should be taken in using in the landscape. In
mid-spring, the plants are adorned with 1½ inch
solitary violet bell-shaped flowers with white
centers. After successful pollination, a globous
fruit forms inside the persistent calyx, resembling
a tomatilla. Shoofly Plant is best propagated from
seed.
Location: on the way to Tiger Falls
Shoofly plantApple of Peru • Marathi: प�पटी� Popti • Kannada: Bilibudde gida • Tamil: Sudakku thakkali
Cimicifuga foetida
Family: Ranunculaceae
Buttercup family
Known to be distasteful to insects
Found in Siberia and east Asia.
Foul-smelling green-white flowers
Foetid Bugbane or Rattletop
Himalayan edelweiss?
Saxifraga jacquemontiana? Or andersonii
Unidentified
Photo Credits:
Ashwini Dabir, Gunwant Mahajan, Monali Shah, Juilie Thakur, Sayali Andhare
References: http://www.flowersofindia.net/Flowers of the Himalaya – Polunin & Stainton
Identification:
Juilie Thakur, Ashwini Dabir, Gunwant Mahajan
©Juilie Thakur
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