M tibetica

The Meconopsis Group

The species of Meconopsis
(Photographs mostly taken in the wild)

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Meconopsis tibetica

The species M. tibetica is one of five placed in a separate sub-genus Discogyne. They are distinguished from all other species by possessing a flat disc on top of the ovary. Full details of the sub-genus were given in an article by Chris Grey-Wilson in 2006. (Full reference in Discogyne ).

M. tibetica inhabits less harsh conditions than the other four species in the sub-genus Discogyne. It is a denizen of Rhododendron thickets and heathland. This new and attractive species, M. tibetica, was found by an expedition led by John and Hilary Birks in S Tibet in 2005, and then described by Chris Grey-Wilson in his article. But subsequent literature searches have shown that this was not the first sighting - the first time was in a near-by area on a Mount Everest reconnaissance expedition in 1921.

M. tibetica is monocarpic, and up to 40 cm in flower. The leaves which develop in the years before flowering form a lax rosette (not dense as in M. discigera). The flowering stem is a simple raceme with 7-14 brilliant maroon flowers with 4-5 broadly overlapping petals and a sumptuous boss of golden stamens in the centre. The stems, leaves and sepals are densely covered with long silky hairs. The leaves are narrow-oblanceolate (not wedge-shaped and 3-5 lobed towards the apex as in M. discigera). If seed is introduced for cultivation, this beautiful species, which originates from less harsh terrain, may prove easier to grow than other members of the Discogyne sub-genus.

M. tibetica growing amongst dwarf rhododendrons.
Dumba (4208m) to Tsho Shau (4650m), S Tibet,
19th July 2005
Photographer: Harry Jans