Thursday 17 March 2005

Meconopsis wilsonii - Photos In The Wild

A superb image of a plant photographed in the Wu Meng Shan in NE Yunnan. This was photographed and subsequently named by DAVID RANKIN. He has named this as a new sub species of M. wilsonii as M.w. orientalis. This is clearly going to be a superb garden plant but will need to be grown in isolation from others in this group of blue/purple monocarpic species to prevent hybridisation. Characteristic golden hairs and violet style and stigma of this beautiful plant. David Rankin.
Detail of immature leaf and leaf hairs. The very characteristic opposite or sub-opposite leaf lobes are well shown. David Rankin. A very distintive set of plants about to come into flower. The characteristic very narrow flowering raceme with very short pedicels is well shown. Has rather a nice Arisaema too! David Rankin.
Wu Zhikun. This makes a number of points. The webmaster met Xiao at a meeting at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh with Prof. Rankin. We are very fortunate to have colleagues like this from China who so happily share their wonderful flora with us and make us so welcome in their country. It also is a good habitat shot showing foreground and background! David Rankin. This shows the characteristic violet flowers with golden anthers. The leaves and seed pods have a delicate golden hairs. David Rankin.