Taxonomy
This species was discovered by Ludlow & Sherriff on the Orka La in Bhutan on 10th July 1934 (L& S642), who also recorded it on the Milakatong La four days later and near Lap (L& S728) on 28th July 1934. Seed was collected from both passes in October 1934 (L&S 1080 & 1095). The specimens were identified initially as M. lyrata and then by George Taylor as M. lancifolia var concinna (a rather different Chinese species), and it was called this in ‘A Quest of Flowers’.
The photos were taken by Margaret and David Thorne in Arunachal Pradesh last Summer. Clearly a very lovely dwarf plant with deep blue stamens and what looks like a yellow stigma but maybe the stigma is coloured and it is covered with yellow pollen. This is some ways a mysterious plant and found by earlier European explorers but was first properly recorded by the great team of Ludlow and Sherriff as Meconopsis lyrata on the ORKA LA on 10th June 1934 and also later on the MILAKATONG LA and elsewhere. Seed was collected as Meconopsis lancifolia concinna. It is not this either!
Currently Dr. Grey-Wilson is going to describe it as a new species called Meconopsis ludlowii – a fitting tribute to a great plantsman.
Cultivation
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Map Location