Roscoea tibetica

Roscoea tibetica Batalin, Trudy Imp. S.-Peterburgsk. Bot. Sada 14: 183 (1895) (syn: Roscoea intermedia var. minuta Gagnep. ; Roscoea intermedia var. plurifolia Loes. ; Roscoea tibetica f. alba Cowley ; Roscoea tibetica f. albiflora X.D.Dong & Ji H.Li ; Roscoea tibetica f. albopurpurea Cowley ; Roscoea tibetica f. atropurpurea Cowley ; Roscoea tibetica var. emarginata S.Q.Tong ; Roscoea tibetica f. rosea Cowley ; Roscoea tibetica f. roseopurpurea Cowley );
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N. Myanmar to S. Central China: China South-Central, Myanmar, Tibet as per POWO;
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Leafy shoots 10-20cm. Leaves 1-4, forming a rosette, lanceolate to oblong ovate, 2-20 x 1.5-5.5cm, first leaf auriculate at base; ligule ± semicircular. Bracts hidden in leaf bases, 2-4 x 0.4cm. Calyx 2.5-4cm. Corolla tube hardly to well-exserted from calyx; dorsal petal elliptic. Lateral staminodes elliptic or asymmetrically obovate. Lip obovate, usually deeply bilobed, 1.5-2.5 x 1-2cm incl. short claw.
Fl. April:fr.April – November.
Moist meadow among scrub:open pine forest;open grassy banks:clearing in forest;dry soil among bracken,2130-3050m.

(Attributions: H.J Noltie. Flora of Bhutan. Published by RBGE. 1994 as per Bhutan Biodiversity Portal)
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Roscoea alpina ?- 24022010 JM6- Bhutan Flora: 3 high res. images.
I am attaching old images one by one for identification, as I didn’t have time to post them earlier.
I think these are from Thimphu or nearby tourist places in Bhutan at an elevation of more than 7,500 ft. 


Roscoea tibetica Batalin



Yes, it is R. tibetica. There are four forma: alba, albo-purpurea, rosea, and roseo-purpurea. The colour of the flowers shows some variation, which may be due to differences in camera settings.


 

 


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References:
POWO  Flora of China  FOC illustration  Bhutan Biodiversity Portal  Wikipedia  Botanically inclined  Wikimedia Commons  iNaturalist

Updated on September 29, 2026

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