Sikkim flora

this is a presentation on the natural plants of Sikkim,a state of India

1. Sikkim flora SIKKIM CAN BE BASICALLY DIVIDED INTO THREE ZONES. THE TROPICAL FROM ALMOST SEA LEVEL TO ABOUT 5000 FEET, THE TEMPERATE FROM 5000 TO 11000 FEET AND THE ALPINE ABOVE 11000 FEET. TILL 10000 FEET, THERE ARE TERRACED FARMLANDS IN WHICH THE RICE, MAIZE, BARLEY AND MILLET ARE GROWN.

2. Hydrangea flower of sikkim HYDRANGEA FLOWER IS VERY COMMON IN ASIA MAINLY IN HIMALAYAN MOUNTAIN REGIONS.THE FLOWER GROWS AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1000 TO 3000 METERS.FLOWER COLOUR DEPENDS UPON THE ACIDITY OF BASICITY OF SOIL.IN ACIDIC SOIL THERE ARE AVILABILITY OF ALUMINIUM IONS SO THEY GROW BLUE WHEREAS IN ALKALINE SOIL THEY ARE PINK TO RED.THE FLOWERS ARE BIG AND GROWS AT THE TOP OF BRANCH WITH CLUSTERS OF TEPALS.THE FLOWER GROWS DURING MONSOON TIME AND FOUND GANGTOK ,LACHUNG,LACHEN,PELLING EVERYWHERE IN SIKKIM WITHIN ALTITUDE 1000-3000 METERS. THE ABOVE PICTURE IS TAKEN AT MANGAN ,SIKKIM.

3. Purple hydrangea THE PURPLE HYDRANGEA GROWS IN LOW ACIDIC SOIL AT NAMCHHI,SIKKIM .

4. ANGEL’S TRUMPET(BRUGMANSIA) THEY ARE WOODY TREES OR SHRUBS, WITH PENDULOUS FLOWERS, AND HAVE NO SPINES ON THEIR FRUIT. THEIR LARGE, FRAGRANT FLOWERS GIVE THEM THEIR COMMON NAME OF  ANGEL'S TRUMPETS , A NAME SOMETIMES USED FOR THE CLOSELY RELATED GENUS  DATURA . THE FLOWER COLOUR VARIES FROM YELLOW ,PINK TO WHITE BUT THE WHITE FLOWERS ARE VERY COMMON.

5. PINK ANGEL’S TRUMPET THE PLANT OF BRUGMANSIA IS EXTREMELY TOXIC ESPECIALLY SEEDS AND LEAVES.THE FLOWERS HAVE BEAUTIFUL COLOURS AND AROMA FOR ATTRACTING POLLINATING MOTHS.THE TOXINS ARE SCOPOLAMINE,HYOSCYAMINE AND OTHER TROPAN ALKALOIDS.EFFECT OF INGESION INCLUDES PARALYSIS OF SMOOTH MUSCLES,MYRIDIASIS,HALLUCINATIONS,DRY MOUTH AND DEATH.THE FLOWERS ARE FOUND WIDELY IN EVERY PARTS OF SIKKIM MAINLY IN GANGTOK,PELLING ETC.

6. WHITE BRUGMANSIA THIS IS THE MOST COMMON BRUGMANSIA IN GANGTOK.

7. Orange day lily( Hemerocallis fulva ) THIS IS AN ORNAMENTAL PLANT IN HIMALAYAN MOUNTAIN RANGE.THE FLOWER IS USED TO DECORATE GARDENS AND HAVE A BRIGHT ORANGE COLOUR WITH A CENTRAL DARK LINE IN EACH TEPAL.

8. PURPLE FOX GLOVE(DIGITALIS PURPUREA) THIS PLANT IS VERY COMMON IN YUMTHANG VALLEY .THE FLOWERS ARE PURPLE TO PINK IN COLOUR.

9. COMPOUNDS IN FOXGLOVES THE FLOWERS CONTAINS DIGITOXIN WHICH IS A POTENT TOXIN FOR US BUT A SMALL DOSAGE OF DIGITOXIN IS BENEFICIAL FOR HEALTH AS IT CURES SOME HEART CONDITIONS.

10. Rhododendrons Flower THE FLOWERS ARE VERY COMMON IN YUMTHUNG VALLEY,( ALT-12,000 FEET)SIKKIM AND PRODUCED THE BEAUTY OF THE VALLEY FROM FEBRUARY TO MID JUNE AT THE TIME OF BLOOMING.THE FLOWERS ARE VERY COLOURFUL AND STATE FLOWER OF SIKKIM. THE FLOWERS CONTAINS GRAYANOTOXIN ,A POTENT NEUROTOXIN.

11. CHINA ROSE THE FLOWER GROWS AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1000-2000 FEET IN THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAIN REGION IN NAMCHI.

12. ROSE THE FLOWERS ARE VERY BIG AND OCCURS AT PELLING,NAMCHI ALTITUDE RANGE 1000-2500FEET. FLOWERS ARE VERY BIG IN SIZE CLUSTERED AS IN THE IMAGE.

13. TREE FERN THE PLANT IS FOUND ALMOST EVERYWHERE IN SIKKIM AND GROWING ALTITUDE RANGE IS 1000-5000 FEET .

14. BAMBOO TREE THE TREE IS VERY COMMON IN THE HIMALAYAN RANGE WITH THEIR OCCURANCE AT AN ALT OF 1000-8000 FEET.THERE ARE TWO TYPES BAMBOO ONE IS BIG AND WIDER AS IN IMAGE AND OTHER IS SLENDER .THE PICTURE IS AT NAMCHI .

15. PRIMULA FLOWER PRIMULA FLOWER IS FOUND IN YUMTHANG VALLEY IN A VERY HIGH ALTITUDE.THE PICTURE IS TAKEN IN YUMTHANG.

16. JUNIPERUS RECURVA THE PLANT IS VERY COMMON IN SIKKIM AND FOUND ALMOST EVERY PLACES BUT MORE POPULATION IS SEEN AT PELLING.THE LEAVES ARE BURNED TO PRODUCE AROMA OR AS DHUP.IN

17. PINE PLANTS ON MOUNTAIN RANGE PINE PLANTS ON THE MOUNTAIN RANGE OF HIMALAYAS.THE PLANTS ADAPTED THEMSELVES AS CONE SHAPE .

18. DENDROCALAMUS SP. THIS IS ANOTHER COMMON BAMBOO SPECIES OF SIKKIM FOUND IN A GREATER DIVERSITY IN AN ALTITUDE RANGE 1000-2000 METERS.

19. MARCHANTIA POLYMORPHA MARCHANTIA POLYMORPHA ON ROCKS IN SEVEN SISTER FALLS ,SIKKIM ALTITUDE -1,750 METERS.

20. Lichen growth on rocks At altitude 14,400 feet or above no big trees survive but there are lichen,bryophytes and algae on rocks. The picture is taken at zero point ,sikkim

21. Grasses grown in a very high altitude around 13,200 feet covered with snow due to heavy snowfall.