Best Images of 2015 posted by members of Efloraofindia
Dear
friends,
Sharing a
picture of this flower commonly known as Orchid Cactus or Night Blooming Cereus
from my home garden in Nasik.
There were a
total of 16 flowers that bloomed on that Full Moon Day, known as Adhik Aashad
Poornima, all on one plant.
Date was 2nd
July, 2015, time around 10.30 PM.
Aarati Khale
Dear All,
2015 was another year which gave me an opportunity to step into wilderness of
mighty Himalayas. The programme was finalized, the team gathered at Panipat on
May 22, 2015 to start a tour the next day. The flower hunting team was led by
Dr. and Mrs. Gurcharan Singh with Dr. & Mrs. Gurdeep Singh Virdi from
Delhi, Smita Raskar from Sawantwadi, myself and Dr. Balkar Singh from Panipat,
Dr. Sunoj Kumar, Calicut, Mr. Viplav Ganger, Mumbai, Mr. Anurag Sharma, Ms.
Medha Rao and Ms. Smitha Ramesh from Bengaluru. We had a stay for one night at
Renuka Ji, a beautiful place in foothills. The next day tour ended up in a
beautiful place amidst pines and deodars, the Mata Bhangyani Temple in
Haripurdhar. We had the midway plant exploration and refreshment halts, all
thoroughly enjoyable.
At the next stay point, Nauradhar, which formed our base camp for
the next days, Dr. Anil Thakur joined the team. From here, the trekking towards
Choordhar peak started early morning. Our senior most members joined us for
initial few hours, and started back before noon. Out of nine members, me and
Smita Ji took different path, unaware of the fact that we won't be able to
converge before 7 km. We could get together only at Jamnala (Doosri) in the
afternoon, where 7 members were waiting with refreshment, which was much
needed. Smita Ji, Aunrag, Smitha and Medha decided to stay there for one night
(which was a very wise decision indeed), to come back the next day.
Five of us started up trekking after 2:00 pm. This was really
tough climb but we enjoyed it all and we reached Teesri at around 5:30 pm. We
were spellbound on seeing high altitude flora especially Rhododendrons from the
corner of a sharp cliff taking a semi-circular turn after Teesri. That was a
quite a different world there, alpine floral elements started appearing. The
path we took was a longer route, but supposed to have a gradual climb, instead
of sharp edges from the other way. The things were not going to be as smooth as
we assumed at first.
The problems started soon after we reached a point, lying ahead was a
vast glacier, which we had not expected. It was long and slippery, and left us
undecided for a while, what to do? The first glacier was crossed, with fear and
terror (thanks to bamboo sticks in hand), we had a sigh of relief, but that was
not the last hurdle. Many small glaciers came our way, there was trouble
in breathing, a really serious cause of concern. Darkness aggravated, skidding
could happen, glaciers started reappearing more vigorously.
Air was getting diluted of oxygen, daylight was almost gone,
energy getting down, and still no sign of our destination anywhere
around. I was (may be all of us) repenting on the decision to complete
the trek in one day, we could have stayed at Teesri. To further worsen the
things, rain and snow started falling, thunder and lightning joined, it got
absolutely dark, still no sign of the place we were supposed to reach. We tried
to console each other regarding the distance remaining to be covered, though no
one was certain. We could not afford to loose hope and kept on leaping through
snow, mud, darkness and silence. Finally we saw a few people with torches way
up, assuring us that we have not lost our way. Ultimately, we reached the
place, shivering and wet, tired and trembling with hunger. We got the meals as
per tradition of the place, and a very good stay (for which I am grateful to
Sh. Babu Ram, Manager, Sewa Samiti, Choordhar).
Now I come to my Flora Picture of the year-2015. In the morning, when we
started back trek, through the temple, I saw a strange yellow coloured flower
(as it appeared from distance). I got near and saw this in curiosity. This took
me quite a while, and observing few more individuals in advanced stages, to understand
that this is the "Ice Breaking Primrose" which pierces through the
snow. I thought this is apt picture for me to share as FLORA PICTURE of 2015.
Nidhan Sing
Polygonatum
graminifolium Hook. ‘Grass-leaved Solomon’s Seal’ (Asparagaceae)
This tiny monocot
herb is a denizen of sub alpine and alpine zones of Western Himalaya in the
elevation range of 3300-3800 m. I first saw this species way back in June 1994
while surveying Kedarnath area. It was growing over a large boulder in a
crevice and without any consideration for its rarity in nature I collected both
flowering individuals seen there. I hope it still survives there as the
location of this boulder was not affected by the flash flood of June 2013.
Nearly after two
decades, I saw this tiny friend once again in Badrinath area, on way to
Vasudhara, during June 2015. Growing below a small boulder along the trekking
rout it was raising the cluster of few leaves and flowers to unfold its beauty
to outer world. This time I was careful to allow him all the life and took only
the photographs, not the specimens.
Google search
indicates that it is less photographed species in its homeland (Western
Himalaya) and most of its photographs are from nurseries of Europe. On
account of its rarity and endemism it was included in ‘1997 IUCN Red List of
Threatened Vascular Plant Species’. I now know few of its populations where
this tiny herb of 5-10 cm is struggling hard to survive. Interestingly, one of
my research students also photographed this species in Valley of Flowers area,
Uttarakhand in June 2015 almost in the same duration when I saw it in Badrinath
area.
DSRawat Pantnagar
Dr D.S.Rawat
Shrubs of
Strobilathus group are intriguing in respect of phenoloy. Remembering flowering
years of several species is extremely interesting. Supushpa scrobiculata, a
shrub occupying steep rocky cliffs of western ghats has a very special place in
my mind due to its rareness, inaccessible locations and due to unknown lap
between flowering years. I remember having crawled over the top of a cliff to
take some bad pictures of its flowers in the year 2000. Later I kept visiting a
spot in Mahabaleshwar each year in October only to find leafy twigs winking at
me.
This year too I reached the not so difficult spot religiously and was delighted to watch leafless braches greeting me with abundant blue blooms.
I do not know how I missed the rare bloom in 2008 if the cycle was of 8 years.
I hope the plant shows me its bloom again sometime to let me guess its cycle.
This year too I reached the not so difficult spot religiously and was delighted to watch leafless braches greeting me with abundant blue blooms.
I do not know how I missed the rare bloom in 2008 if the cycle was of 8 years.
I hope the plant shows me its bloom again sometime to let me guess its cycle.
Shrikant Ingalhalikar
Hello
friends
I was after
this orchid Flickingeria nodosa for last four years
i have visited
plant so many times but could not find even buds for last four years
but this year
on one fine day i could see buds,i was determined this year i will not miss to
see flowers so i use to travel 60kms from home every day for 8 days
waiting to buds to bloom
& finally
buds opened,flowers smiled at me
i was on
the top of the earth, danced with joy
i have taken so
many pictures
love love love
to see orchids
I hope you will
also love my orchid
Thanks
Regards
Smita Raskar
Dear Friends,
This particular Ceropegia was eluding me for long time. I
was bit desperate to get this photographed this year. While i was trekking down
the Madheghat (Historial trek route Connecting Torna fort-Kelad to
Shivtharghal) during peak monsoon, i was greeted by this beauty. I was
thrilled.
Ceropegia huberi, beautiful Climbing herb is my "Flora Picture of Year -2015".
Regards
Prashant Awale
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This Oberonia species was photographed below
Mullayanagiri, growing on branch of a tree, alt 1700 m in Karnataka. Our
talented member Tsp Kumar was with us on two day trip to two highest peaks of
Karnataka Bababudangiri and Mullayanagiri showing us interesting and rare
plants of Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka. Knowing my weakness for orchids
(in both senses: hardly knowing any orchids, only a few which I can count on my
fingers, and my desire to know more about them) he led us on difficult
slopes, where he not only showed us beautiful plant (many new for me) but
especially hunted down orchids. This was one such orchid perched on upper
branches of a tree. It was difficult to reach the branches but luckily I could
capture with my newly bought 18 mm to 220 mm Tamron lens mounted on my Cannon
550 D camera. This is what he commented later on Facebook Indian Flora "I
was spellbound as the 'Guruji' took this picture....feeling like a midget
before the mountain...!", a great appreciation from a talented Forest
Officer, Plant lover and a accomplished photographer.
Photographed on September 26, 2015, the
only thing which I know with certainty is that it is a species of Oberonia
(first identified by Tsp Kumar ji). My friend Gajendra Singh from Facebook
Indian Flora identified it as Oberonia pachyrhachis, a species
obviously not reported from Karnataka. I sent these photographs to Pankaj
ji also, who suggested either Oberonia brunoniana or O.
balakrishnanii. I hope to know the exact ID soon.
Gurcharan Sing
This year was especially fruitful for me as I was able to
see an excellent number of Himalayan plants during the Churdhar trip organised
by Dr. Balkar Singh. I was also able to make more trips to various wildlife
sanctuaries in Kerala where I got a rich haul of many evergreen species. But
the place that truly stole my heart this year was the montane grasslands of
Devaramane in the Mudigere taluk of Chikkamagaluru, Karnataka. My hearty thanks
go to Tsp Kumar sir as he provided me with the directions and suggestions on
where and when I should go to during many trips this year and indeed Devaramane
was one of his suggestions. 'Devaramane' literally translates to the 'home of
the gods' and certainly this place, as is fairly evident from the attached
photo, deserves the name.
As most of the members here know, it takes a lot of planning to make trips to even nearby areas and somehow, my visit to Devaramane was superbly well timed and well planned. I visited the place just after the peak of the monsoon had passed, the weather was absolutely stunning and in the company of my wonderful friends the trip was, in short, nothing short of spectacular. This particular trip will always hold a special place in my heart. I think it would be appropriate to say I have and will always be at a loss to truly describe what a stunning place Devaramane was so I hope the picture does justice to the sholas.
As most of the members here know, it takes a lot of planning to make trips to even nearby areas and somehow, my visit to Devaramane was superbly well timed and well planned. I visited the place just after the peak of the monsoon had passed, the weather was absolutely stunning and in the company of my wonderful friends the trip was, in short, nothing short of spectacular. This particular trip will always hold a special place in my heart. I think it would be appropriate to say I have and will always be at a loss to truly describe what a stunning place Devaramane was so I hope the picture does justice to the sholas.
Anurag Sharma
Dear friends,
My tryst with the
Queen……………Ceropegia elegans.
The genus Ceropegia has always been an enigma. The
different floral shapes and colours have fascinated me. I had read that about
43 of the 53 species that are known to occur in India are threatened and have
become rare and genetically depleted. I always searched for them, when on field
duty, with no success whatsoever. They remained as elusive as quicksilver.
24-06-2014 was another day that I could not keep indoors. It was mid-monsoon.
The call of the Giris, my favorite “beckoning hills,” was irresistible. The
imposing cliffs, winding roads, mesmerizing mist, blinding rains and its orchid
perfume always beckoned me. Unmindful of my nemesis, those cold, slithery, and
bloodthirsty leeches, I set out with my team hoping to find some orchids. The
day was fruitful as we could find quite a few orchids, terrestrial and
epiphytic as well.
The
climb was arduous and my nemesis had its fair share of my blood. The sun was
already behind the western hills and the light was falling rapidly. We hastened
our descent hoping to get into the safety of my Bolero before it got too dark.
Before getting into the vehicle, I stopped for a while to fill my lungs and to
examine my shoes and socks, Bent a little, kick-dropped a couple of leeches and
looked over my shoulders…! I thought that a pair of small, greenish,
serpent-like eyes was watching me from among the thickets a few feet away.
I stared for a while, eye-to-eye, and blinked first. Spellbound for a few
seconds, I went closer. My heart missed a few beats as I realized that it was
not a serpent, but an alien looking flower….! Yes. She was a Ceropegia….my
Queen…! I had inadvertently stumbled upon the ‘Queen of Ceropegias’ that
was later identified as Ceropegia elegans by that master explorer of Ceropegias,
Mr.Sushant More.
She has been a
lucky mascot for me because later on I could meet her mates as well during the
year. Ceropegia juncea, Ceropegia biflora, Ceropegia candelabrum and the King
himself, Ceropegia gardneri…! I have been recapitulating 24-06-2014
every now and then ever since.
The images I took that day, in the falling light, are my
treasure and occupy a prime place in my heart and archives as well. Hence she
is my 'Flora picture of the year'
Regards
Tspkumar
The joy of finding an elusive plant is almost the same as
finding a rare unknown one.
We had finished our breakfast at a hotel near Satara on
Mumbai - Bangalore highway, and were ready to continue further, when Shrikant
ji and Prashant showed me Ashwagandha growing by the side of
road. I was least expecting it in that place !
Dinesh Valke
Raman
