Flora picture of the year 2012
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Best images of 2012 posted by members of Efloraofindia
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DINESH VALKE
All art is but imitation of nature – Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Knema attenuata Warb.
08 DEC 12 … Matheran
Dinesh Valke
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Rajesh Sachdev
There are few excursions or trips designed to target particular species, let it be birds, butterflies or flora. There is one or more then one species that are in wishlist of such excursions and without which those excursions remain incomplete. When I was designing the Valley of Flowers trip for the joint group of eFI and Indian Flora , I had one such species in my mind as target. And that is not only me most of people who visit VoF have such feeling that they must see that flower. The flower is Brahma Kamal.
Four months of desperation, I realised that I am medically unfit for VoF. Viral fever and lose of weight put me in week category and doctor declared me unfit for such tough trek. But there were reasons for me to still do it, JUST DO IT. (a) Commitment to 20+ participants and (b) willingness to see my target flower.
On the day one while trekking up from Govind Ghat to Ghanghariya my health collapsed. The trek, for good 13 Kms and uphill, was full of flowers on both sides and I kept on ignoring. Just because my mind was not concentrating on them but on my collapsing health. Day 2 was fine and comparatively better. Thanks to Smita Raskar for supporting me and offering me tablets etc. Day 3 was suppose to be for Hemkund Saheb, the only place where I could have seen Brahmakamal. And on this day again I started feeling uncomfortable. I somehow managed to reach to point from where I could see a flower or two and click them using the maximum zoom from my digital camera. Very blur and dull pic, I could secure. Today, when I have redesigned the VoF tour (in fact 2 tours in June & in August) , that sense of incompleteness is chasing me. That sense is asking me to go and click your beloved flower, more closely and sharply. With god’s blessing today I have better camera and I wish and pray to my god that ” Waheguru ji, give me strength and willpower to complete my mission and photograph my beloved flower . The flower that has Shri Hemkund Saheb in the background and snow clad mountain on either side”.
With this wish, I am presenting my flora (remote) picture of the year 2012 for my beloved Brahma Kamal
Rajesh Sachdev
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Prashant Awale
Here is my “Flora Picture of the Year 2012”.
Lucky to spot this plant which was eluding me for last few years. Thanks to Shrikant ji for the ID.
Bot. name: Syzygium laetum
Family: Myrtaceae.
Prashant Awale
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Shrikant Ingalhalikar
Krishna river entering an avenue of flowering Indian Willow trees (Salix tetrasperma) near Bhuinj on Mumbai-Banglore highway.
Shrikant Ingalhalikar
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Gurcharan Singh
Presenting my flora picture of the Year 2012,
Iris japonica,
The fringed iris or butterfly flower.
I had known about several species of Iris being grown in Kashmir to decorate graveyards and as ornamentals, and a few forming enormous meadows both in the valley (Iris lactea, which for a long time was identified as I.ensata) and alpine hills (I. hookeriana). These species were mostly possesed by me in the form of dried speciments. I missed photograhing these in previous years as they are early flowering plants, and I would miss their flowering. This year I planned an early visit to Kashmir to catch these and other similar flowers. Luckily I was able to catch almost all, but my prized click was this species which I found in gardens for the first time in Kashmir.
Despite its scientific name, the plant is neither a native of Japan (rather being a native of China), nor bearing the common name Japanese iris (which belongs to Iris ensata).
The plant is a rhizomatous perennial with sword-shaped leaves up to 60 cm long, up to cm wide, without midvein; flowers pale blue to white, 4-6 cm across, with fringed falls spotted with purple and orange crusts, up to 1.5 cm long spathe, up to 2.5 cm long pedicel and perianth tube shorter than 1.5 cm, flowers are arranged on much branched stems.
Photographed from Botanical Garden below Cheshma Shahi in Kashmir.
The species has been widely cultivated in different parts of the world and has been given ‘Award of Garden Merit’ by Royal Horticultural Society.
Gurcharan Singh
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Raman
Adansonia digitata
This 500 year old BaoBab’s tree flower is my picture of the year
I took the pictures at sunset. So couldn’t do any justice.
But was happy to see the tree behind Ibrahim Roza.
The flower in fact started to open up around 7.00pm.
The funny thing as we are asking people for directions,
the younger generation were discouraging us saying there is nothing like it.
But the old people were pointing as to the right place,
explaining to the younger generation, there does exist a tree.
Raman
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Vijayasankar Raman
Here is my ‘Flora Picture of the Year 2012’.
“the seed is now ready to continue the legacy for generations to come, and thus to protect the species from possible extinction”!
Decalepis arayalpathra (J.Joseph & V.Chandras.) Venter
Synonym: Janakia arayalpathra J.Joseph & Chandras.
Family: Apocynaceae (previously under Periplocaceae).
Decalepis arayalpathra is a bushy perennial subshrub with milky latex, growing up to 2 m high. It is endemic to the southern Western Ghats and only has few isolated populations found on high altitude rocky habitats. At FRLHT, we conducted extensive explorations across its distribution range in order to assess the population size and also to find suitable sites for in situ conservation. It has been assessed as ‘Critically Endangered’. It occurs in Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari districts in Tamil Nadu and in Tiruvananthapuram district in Kerala. The local Kani tribes use the fleshy aromatic roots as tonic and also to treat various stomach ailments.
The ‘Kani’ tribe calls this plant AMRITHAPALA and use it as effective remedy for peptic ulcer, cancer-like afflictions and as a tonic to regain the lost strength and stamina.
The specific epithet ‘arayalpathra’ denotes the resemblance of leaves to that of Ficus religiosa. ‘Arayal’ is Malayalam name for Peepul tree, and ‘pathra’ means leaf. The original generic name ‘Janakia’ was to commemorate Dr.E.K. Janaki Ammal, a renowned scientist of Botanical Survey of India, for her valuable contributions to the botany of India. She was appointed by Nehru ji the then PM as ‘Special Officer’ to reorganize the BSI to the current structure.
Vijayasankar Raman
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Sandhya Sasidharan
A picture of a Lagerstroemia speciosa tree, nothing rare or spectacular but a tree close to my heart.
It was photographed last April from the Trivandrum Public Library compound
and I had posted its flowers and buds. https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/indiantreepix/JFSkf9AaLpg
This tree perhaps as old as the library always was a beautiful and green presence.
But sadly when I went to the library yesterday I found the tree gone.
Hadn’t been to the library for the past two months and didn’t know that the old friend had fallen.
All I could see was the fallen tree chopped up in a pile. But from the base of the fallen trunk new shoots had sprung up,
like flames of hope.
I chose this picture as the flora picture of the year 2012 as a tribute to this tree friend. Also remembering that even the things we deem common
have so much beauty, enriching our lives.They too are disappearing fast…
Wishing that in 2013 this Earth of ours will be a lot more greener, beautiful and peaceful. Let us all put in our best for this green pursuit.
Sandhya Sasidharan
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Dr. Pankaj Kumar
I can’t say that this is the best picture I have taken, but just wanted to share to emphasize the importance of study on Plant-Pollinator interactions.
Bulbophyllum is one of the largest genera of epiphytic orchids which are very widespread and at the same time have a very peculiar mode of pollination by insects. The floral morphology is very diverse and so is the odour which can be drastically bad as a rotten fish or as good as fragrance of rose+vanilla. They dont have spur but the labellum and other part of flowers have glands that secretes some compounds which attracts insects. They even secrete chemicals on the labellum to attract insects.
The pic is one of such potential pollinators on a species, Bulbophyllum lasiochilum Parish & Rchb.f.. This is the yellow form of the species
Implications: Plant-Pollinator study becomes very important for any species which is assume to be rare and their existence is threatened. If the pollinator is missing then even if the plants have no other threat, they wont survive for long. A pollinator is must for maintaining the genetic diversity within a species, in natural condition. Unfortunately such studies are lacking in India and hence there is an immense need to undertake such studies so as to design proper conservation management plans for important plant species.
Dr. Pankaj Kumar
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Balkar Singh
Here is my Picture of the Year
Nepenthes khasiana
On 3rd of December Dr Satishkumar from TBGRI Thiruvanthpuram delivered a lecture in ASC Calicut Uni on Carnivorous Plants. That was an amazing presentation because he brought many fresh specimens of carnivorous plants with him. There were 3 different sp of Nepenthes he was having to show us. As we were 40 in number and about 3/4 persons among us have not seen live Nepenthes before, everybody wanted to feel and touch Nepenthes. So lot of competition were there to grab those 3 specimens of Nepenthes. But I was wandering behind every persons having/watching those specimens as i have to shot these plants and I took around 50 shots of those 3 species of Nepenthes. Here I am attaching one of those picture. This was my first meeting with all these 3 species of Nepenthes and we enjoyed this beauty of Nature very much.
Balkar Singh
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Mayur Nandikar
Dear all,
Please consider my entry as a Flora Pic. of the year 2012.
During the month of October 2012, I visited North East states, to explore Commeilnaceae members. One day I have spent in Experimental Botanical Garden, Umiam- Eastern Regional Centre, BSI, Shillong, Meghalaya. Surprisingly, I find number of Commelinaceae members over there, including one of the fascinating species of Amischotolype, exclusively known from North East states of India. Mr. Rabha accompanied me during the visit, he was worked as a botanist (NE Circle, Shillong), simple person but with extraordinary talent in field. Only because of Mr. Rabha’s efforts, I can able to see few rare and endemic plants from the states under one roof. Now he has been retired (possibly) from the service. I must be thankful to him for his service & contribution in the field of plant conservation.
I am attaching the fruting twig of Amischotolype hookeri Hassk. and Mr. Rabha photograph in inset.
Amischotolype Hassk.is paleotropic genus, c. 26 species, mainly in S, E and SE Asia (excluding Sri Lanka), of which four species are strictly found in tropical AfricaDuistermaat (2012). In India genus represented by three species (modified after Karthikeyan et al 1989).
Amischotolype hookeri (Hassk.) H. Hara, Fl. E. Himalaya 1: 399. 1966.
In Khasi it is called “Slaw-sai-sum”
Rhizomatous, perennial herb, rhizome prostrate, stem stout and grows up to 100–400 m high.Flowers sessile, white to pink; sepals persistent, connate at base, green to deep purple, glabrous or rarely sparsely ciliate margin, tip hooded; petals as long as sepals, white to pale pink, glabrous, fleshy; stamens filament c 1mm long; anthers, yellow, opening by a longitudinal slit. Capsule 1–1.5 × 0.5.–0.7 cm, ovoid, much exerted (3–5 mm)from sepals, pink or purple, sparsely hairy, hairs long; valves free to fused in basal half, apex acute, lobes absent; seeds 2 per locule, 5 x 3 mm, testa variously reticulate, grey, hilum linear, embryotega not distinguished but lateral, embedded in scarlet coloured fleshy aril.
Distribution & ecology– India and Bangladesh; in North East parts of India, in evergreen forests, on slopes, in forest undergrowths.
Mayur Nandikar
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Aneeta Kindre
Here I’m sending My Flora picture of the year 2012
This white beauty stole my Heart
and fregrance of those flowers was mesmorising 🙂
Found in Evergreen forest !!
Botanical Name :
Paramignya monophylla Wight.
vernacular Name : Kari vageti, Narayan Makadi
Family : Rutaceae
Location : Kolhapur, Maharashtra Date – 29th Nov 2012
Medicinal Use : The roots are said to be used to cure urinary and abdominal disorders in catles.
(Ref: Flora of Maharashtra)
Aneeta Kindre
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A.Sinha-GREENEARTH
Pavonia odorata Willd
It still lingers in small pockets on the outskirts of metros like Bangalore , though one has to travel further to find it. But when one does, its thrilling. The delicate pink flower with translucent petals and fine mesh of bracts on the buds lights up the landscape.
The green bug was a bonus, I saw it only in the picture.
I dont kow the name of the bug, and what its eating ( if you do, please tell me.). But for me it completes this picture of nature , beautiful, bountiful, an essential part of our very humanity.
A. Sinha
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D.S.RAWAT
Saussurea simpsoniana
This curious looking alpine herb grow very close to snow line in the Himalaya. Here photographed in October first week when it is taking ‘Samadhi’ under snow for the whole winter season.
D.S.RAWAT
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JANANI ESWAR
Hi everybody,
I was at a nursery doing some photography that we needed for a project and the sun which was starting to sink hit the begonias kept in the corner. The pink and white just captured everybody’s eye! It was so beautiful I just had to shoot it. I know it’s probably not botanically extremely interesting or something rare, but the colours and and the light just stirred something in me. I sat there till the light passed… it was extremely peaceful.
Thank you,
Janani Eswar
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SMITA RASKAR
Hello all
Sharing picture of a beautiful herb Hydrolea zeylanica
found on moist soils at Sawantwadi; Sindhudurg.
Smita Raskar
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B. Rathinasabapathy
Flame Lilly (Gloriosa superba)
In Tamil காந்தல் மலர். State flower of Tamil Nadu and National flower of Zimbabwe
There is a postal stamp issued by the Postal Department of India for this flower.
B. Rathinasabapathy
Bhagyashree
My Flora picture of the year 2012 are these flowers of Commelina forskalei Vahl. It was fascinating for me to see and learn that the same plant has flowers above the ground as well as underground and that the underground flowers apparently form a drought-survival development.
Bhagyashree
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Satish Nikam
Friends,
My pic for “Flora picture of the year”.Just a new twist to a old story.
Waras (Heterophragma quadriloculare).
regards
Satish Nikam
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DR. SATISH PHADKE
Cynanchum callialatum
I get fascinated by the radial symmetry and the geometry present in flowers of most of the species of Asclepiadaceae.
It was a joy for me when I came across this species in Mulshi area on way to Lavasa .
It is a climber with tiny flowers of less than a cm.
I could find the ID from the book Flowers of Sahyadri. I posted the pictures on the group when VOF week was going on in full swing.
On searching the Efloraofindia I was surprised to know that this species was not shared by anybody on the group so far.
I was disappointed that nobody took notice of the post.
Presenting my Flora Picture of The Year 2013. Cynanchum callialatum
Dr Satish Phadke
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RITESH KUMAR
Dear all,
Posting an image of ‘Amorphophallus nepalensis (Wall.) Bogner & Mayo’ (Araceae) as my ‘Flora Picture of the Year 2012’.
This plant is special because of its restricted distribution in E. Himalayan region of India, Nepal and Bangladesh only. To me, it is more special because I had collected it during a very difficult trek in the Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh. Cannot forget the day when I was crossing through a small cane bridge which partly broke down and I was about to fall in the turbulent Nyiggong river. Thanks to my field assistant, a local boy, who saved my life as well as the camera 🙂
Hope you’ll like the photo.
Regards,
Ritesh.
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J.M.GARG
Dear members,
This plant posted in March, 2010, was initially identified as Commelina cyanea after a lot of discussions. Later on it was thought that it may be C. dianthifolia Deille or C. salicifolia Roxb. recently
I finally visited the place (Joka, Kolkata) with Mayur Nandikar ji on 12.1.13. The species finally seems to be Commelina diffusa Burm.f. after we saw hundreds of such plants in a large area. The whole plant has prostrate habit, while the flowering branches appears to be erect.
The full discussion can be seen at
https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en&fromgroups#!topicsearchin/indiantreepix/Commelina$20AND$20diffusa$20AND$20Burm.f./indiantreepix/RaAjZgNORCA
All this confusion has happened because I didn’t take multiple pictures from multiple angles of different plants & particularly missed the full habit picture. This was a great lesson to me as it resulted in lot of confusion & wastage of energies of lot of our experts. Had I taken photographs as per posted guidelines, possibly all this could have been avoided.
J.M.Garg.
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AARTI KHALE
Dear friends,
Sharing my ‘Flora Picture of the Year 2012’.
Bauhinia galpinii, commonly known as Red Orchid Tree, Red Bauhinia or African Plume originates from South Africa.
This Bauhinia has been identified by me from Flowersofindia site.
Seen in the beautiful Lalbagh Botanical Gardens, Bangalore on 15/4/2012.
It is more like a shrub.
Lalbagh is full of surprises, you seem to find new flowers & trees during each visit.
Aarti Khale
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USHA DI
Dear all :
here is my flora picture of the year 2012 picture and its story :
This is an example of endurance and perseverance along with zeal to survive in the plant, and I love it for it.
I bought it in hanging planter, nursery man said it would flower in a couple of weeks just water it and put in sunny location. I did, and it flourished, growing longer and greener…. Summer came and went, so did a winter, and then spring, summer and fall…. Nary a bud nor a flower…. And I thought it was a dud… ready to discard it because my balcony can only take so much green trailings… and then it got very cold winter of 2012, I thought it would surely die of the bitter winds and frigid fog. Then one morning 3 or 4 of these flowers popped up, gladdening the hearts of the beholders…. Including mine.
Not only had this plant survived the 105 degrees Fahrenheit temp in summer, the typhoons, and monsoons and then the cold… it has blossomed….. Just like some late bloomer kid in a classroom, surprising everyone.
I then went looking for its proper name, found it… Its really an iceplant …. A ground cover that forms tight layer described as a mat… originating in South Africa, its adapted in many distant lands… in California its known to escape and become weedy.
The botanical name is Aptenia cordifolia of Family Aizoaceae. Colloquially known as heart-leafed iceplant.
In 2013, this winter it’s back reveling in the cold… best survivor I know.
Usha di
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M.Swamy
Dear all in the E- flora group,
At the out set, I acknowledge the numerous New Year greetings from all our brothers and sisters of the group. I reciprocate the greet and wish well every one in the group. Let the New Year bring all the dreams and wishes come true.
Inspired by the members posting the flora picture of the year I venture to post this picture of Ceiba pentandra taken during the past year. This is one of the heritage trees of Mysore city, rather Karnataka state. The tree was planted by Lord Curzon just outside the fort wall of Mysore Palace. The areas has now been called the Curzon park where flower shows are held regularly during Dasara. It is one of the best maintained parks in the city. Of course there are plenty of parks in the city. I am providing the link for further reading on the tree and the heritage trees of Mysore city : http://www.deccanherald.com/content/229798/heritage-trees-have-history-their.html.
M.Swamy
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SURAJIT
Leea rubra
Dear All,
Never did i think of delving inside the unfathomable mystery of plant taxonomy. Since my childhood i hated books and relieved a deep sigh when i found myself engaged to a NAUKRI ! Thanks God, no more reading!
My initial days in eFI were very nice, just upload photographs and obtain ID of plants; very simple. Raju Sir changed it all. No sooner i met him in the Botanical Garden we became family and I started moulting, moulting into a student life, for one more time, with obedience.
Well, it was the 17th July, 2012 and Raju Sir drew my notice to this beautiful plant, a Leea sp., inside the Botanical Garden, Shibpore, Howrah. I can’t express my amazement when Raju Sir himself cleared a few weeds so that i could be able to take photographs without any obstruction before me.
Thank you,
Regards,
Surajit
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SUKLA
I’m sharing my Flora Picture of the year 2012.
These are male plant and male catkin and of Salix tetrasperma Roxb. (Salicaceae). I have collected this plant just beside river Ganges in Barrackpore Sheoraphully ferry ghat( station in river bank for launch and boat), West Bengal. I have kind of funny experience with this plant. I visited that place for 5-6 times in winter
during 2005-2007. The place was so dirty and it’s very bad smelling too. People around the ferry ghat were surprisingly looked at me and even asked “why are you going in such a dirty place for collecting that plants?” My simple answer could not satisfy them. Then they had through their next question! “Is the plant has any anti-cancerous property”. I said “no” and told them it’s other medicinal value. They were little bit disappointed!!
Thanks & Regards,
Sukla
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GIBY KURIAKOSE
Dear all,
Here is my picture for Flora Picture of the year 2012.
Memecylon subramanii a narrow endemic species belonging to the family Melastomataceae.
Photographed from Schentharuni Wildlife Sanctuary Kerala.
Regards,
Giby
GIBY KURIAKOSE
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NALINI
In Summer of 2012 we visited faroe-islands, Iceland and Greenland.
Though I made many photos there, I have to choose a few. I did it today. Though it is nice to see the old photos, I don’t feel like doing it today, when it is snow everywhere and the temperatures are below -10. I just went quickly thru my collection and chose the ones I found remarkable.
In Iceland I remember to have seen Wollgras (Eriophorum scheuchzeri) and arctic poppy (Papaver radicatum) in white, yellow, to orange. But more than that there was Hundskamille (anthemis) everywhere, in the harbour, wastelands, along the roads, everywhere. In Seyðisfjörður ( Iceland 65° 16′ N, 14° 1′ W ) I found one orchidee Nördliche Kuckucksblume near a waterfall. I could not go very near to it. I am attaching these Fotos here.
In Akureyri in iceland there is a wonderful botanical garden, worth visiting.
In Greenland too there was beautiful vegetation, Moos with small flowers, Lichens on the rocks, colorful from white to deep orange. But I remember the beautiful sunny and warm (!) day in Qeqertarsuaq Greenland 69° 14′ 45″ N, 53° 32′ 14″ W. Here too I watched dandelion, vogelmiere (stellaria) etc, but Arktische Weidenröschen (Epilobium-latifolium) was the one, making the land smile under the blue sky.
I hope you enjoy the photos
Best wishes for 2013 somewhat late but from heart.
Regards
Nalini
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PRASAD DASH
I am sharing my Flora picture of the Year, 2012. Since last 3 years i was searching to get a view of how Paederia foetida looks when in full bloom. I have visited so many local and regional hot spots of Biodiversity in Odisha during my documentation of Flora of Odisha. But could not find this plant flowering. Even if i encountered good population of this species, all were in vegetative stage. I came to know that this species is listed under RET by FRLHT and flowering is not common. Finally last year i spotted this species flowering near to my office at Sahid nagar, Bhubaneswar in wild condition. I was very very happy and took around 50 snaps. Presenting my picture bellow.
Regards
Prasad
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