Green bellflower vine is found in abundance in the Valley of Flower. These greenish yellow bell-shaped flowers appear on vines in summers and have purple markings all over. The flower is commonly found in the Himalayas, from Uttarakhand to Bhutan, at an altitude of 1200 – 3,000 m. Scientific Name: Codonopsis Viridis
Reid’s Primrose is a distinctive perennial plant which appears on rock ledges and river banks in the Himalayas. The plant sports bell-shaped, fragrant flowers and a compact umbel of ivory white on a stem which is only 6-15 cm high. Its leaves are shallowly lobed or toothed, and are shorter than the leaf stalk. Flowers are shaped like old-fashioned search lights, a broad bell abruptly narrowing into a tube at the back. Reid’s Primrose occurs at an altitude of 3300-4500 meters.
Himalayan Monkshood: It grows around one meter in height and grows well in different types of soil. These are handsome plants; their stem, tall and erect, crowned with racemes bearing deep blue, purple, white, yellow or pink flowers. Each flower bears two-ten petals which are glandular in structure and secrete nectar.
Interesting fact: Tea prepared from its flowers and/or leaves puts people in a state of trance. Tea drinker feels as though he is flying. In earlier times, the plant was often used in the preparation of psychoactive drugs. It was also used in European witchcraft ointments.
The dried leaves of Himalayan Monkshood are burnt as incense, its seeds are sometimes used in rituals and the entire plant is considered to be an agent of protection. It is also used in making the deadly poison called bikh, bish or nabee.
Scientific Name: Aconitum-Ferox
Himalayan cinquefoil/ Ruby Cinquefoil: The plant bears blood red flowers which contrast beautifully with its silver-green leaves. The flower spikes rise in all directions from clumps of these relatively tiny leaves.
The flowers actually range from yellow to orange to wine-red. Its trifoliate leaves which are densely silver-haired and coarsely sharp-toothed set it apart from most other Potentiallas. The flowers either grow isolated or in small groups. It is found at altitudes of 2400-4200 meters.
Scientific Name: Potentilla Atrosanguinea
Five finger cinquefoil: can easily spotted in the valley owing to its bright yellow color. Its leaves are divided into five leaflets arranged palmately like the fingers of a hand, hence the name Five Finger Cinquefoil. The flower is an important part of the ecosystem as its leaves are eaten by caterpillars.
Interesting fact: In heraldry, the cinquefoil emblem signified strength, power, honor and loyalty. It was also used generously in the architecture of numerous churches built in Normandy and Brittany, through the 15th century.
Scientific Name: potentilla cuneate
River Anemone is an erect silky-haired perennial plant found on forest margins, grassy slopes, stream sides and lakesides in the Himalayas. Basal leaves are rounded, deeply 3-lobed, silky haired on both sides and long-stalked. Flowers are white, often flushed violet outside, 2-5 cm across, in lax umbel below which occur a ring of narrowly 3-lobed, sharply toothed leaves. The most interesting part of the plant is it unusual blue anthers.
Wallich Geranium is a perennial herb with paired rose-pink to red-purple flowers with pale centers. Flowers are 2.5-4 cm across. Sepals are bristly haired on veins. Plants usually have large stipules which are an identifying feature. Leaves are mostly 4-8 cm across, 3-5 lobed, the lobes are broad-rhombic, further lobed and toothed. The plant has a much-branched stem, growing up to 1-4 ft tall. Flowering: June-September.
Meadow Cranesbill is a beautiful wildflower commonly found on open slopes in the Himalayas at altitudes of 2200-3500 m. Erect hairy stems can grow to 15-40 cm tall. Flowers usually occur in pairs, 2.5-4 cm across, usually light bluish-purple, with darker veins. However, the color of the flower can vary from almost purplish red to blue to white. Sepals are about 1 cm long. Leaf-blade is 3-5 cm across, divided almost to the base into 5-7 ovate lobes which are further deeply cut into oblong acute toothed segments.
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