Saturday 12 February 2005

Meconopsis prainiana


Photographer : John Mitchell

Taxonomy

Chris Grey-Wilson has re-erected this species related to M. horridula. Found in SE Tibet and is similar to M. prattii except it is usually only 4 petalled and was originally described as having yellow flowers; but blue and pink ones described since. Part of the M. horridula complex lumped by Taylor. It was based on plants collected by Kingdom Ward in the Temo La. Taylor described it as a robust M. horridula and did not even think it deserved varietal rank. The plants illustrated are very distinctive and have been identified as this species by Dr. C Grey-Wilson. Many of the forms of M. horridula that have been split up into different species are very distinctive. The problem is all the intermediates and it was appreciating this that led Taylor to lump them all under the single species.This is really not very satisfactory and it may well be that an analysis of all features of all these M. horridula (aggregate) related species will be better than trying to devise a standard type of key. This species is not shown in the new Flora of China key.

Cultivation


Map Location


View Meconopsis World prainiana in a larger map