Rare alpine plant appears at Mt. Qomolangma
In June of 2015, photographer Liu Yuhong photographed the Meconopsis pinnatifolia flower in Tibet's Karma Valley.
The Meconopsis pinnatifolia, which has become a rare and elusive species on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau since the end of the last century, now first appears in the Karma Valley, eastern slope of Mt. Qomolangma, according to Tibet’s Bio-Imaging Research Institution. The appearance of this flower provides a new specimen for scientific study and protection of the species.
The Meconopsis pinnatifolia is an annual herb of 60 to 100 cm tall. It grows in the cracks of rocks on mountainsides 3,500-4,200 meters above sea level in Southern Tibet. Specimens of this species were collected from Gyirong's mountain areas in the last century. However, no images of the specimens were recorded. For several decades researchers of Meconopsis pinnatifolia have searched the Himalayan region to find specimens of the species in vain.
Luo Hao, Tibet's Bio-Imaging Research Institute Director presented that in mid-June the institute dispatched Chinese nature photographer Liu Yuhong on an exploratory expedition to the Gyirong, Karma and Dromo Valleys in the Himalayan regions. His main mission was to locate the Meconopsis species in the poppy family, as well as understand its basic distribution within the area.
"Liu Yuhong discovered the magenta variation of the Meconopsis pinnatifolia species on eastern slope of Mt. Qomolangma 4,650 meters above sea level." Luo Hao states that Japanese botanists Yoshida, authoring "Illustrations of Himalayan Plants", and Chinese domestic plant experts already confirm that the specimen recently found is the Meconopsis pinnatifolia.
Bio-imaging research believes photos present a clear reality for research. All related imagery is gathered to determine the survival rate of various plants and animals, any specific characteristics of the species, and their distribution patterns. This information can all be used to further protect various species.
Luo Hao says this expedition not only captured clear images of the Meconopsis pinnatifolia for the first time, but also detailed another distribution in the region. This provides strong evidence for future study of the herb while also promoting current scientific research and protection of the rare species.