Last year (2023), I traveled around Sichuan and Yunnan provinces in SW China in search of unseen blue poppies, then noticed something curious. Yunnan has many blue poppies that are the same species or very similar to the blue poppies seen in Tibet. Although Yunnan and Tibet share a border, the habitats of blue poppies are 600 km apart from each other, and between them there are a series of icy and snowy rock peaks over 5,000 meters above sea level. It seems hard that their seeds could have traveled such a long distance with the help of wind and wing of birds to expand their habitat. So, this year, I focused on observing blue poppies blooming in both Yunnan and Tibet, which could provide clues to solving the enigma of their distribution. At the same time, I looked for flowers that I had missed last year and flowers that I have not yet seen. In late June, I left for Kunming. I followed the blooming blue poppies from south to north through their habitats. (The route) Yunnan: Tokyo = Kunming - Jiaozi shan - Kunming - Cang shan - Ma'eri shan - Tianbao shan - Pujinlangba - Kongque shan - Balagezong - Daxue shan - Shangri-la = Chengdu Tibet: Chengdu = Milin - Lulang - Temo La - Seji La - Langxian - Linzhi - Seji La North - Milin = Chengdu (Siguniang) = Tokyo （To enlarge the frame) Last year, we were blessed with good weather, but this year, there was a lot of rain, so it was difficult to take photogenic flowers. However, a lot of rain is good for the flowers to grow, so I was able to enjoy many fine flowers. 　 Yunnan Jiaozi Shan Mountain It is a national nature reserve located 135km north of Kunming. It takes just over two hours by car from Kunming to reach the mountain. The highest point is 4,223m above sea level. The mountain trails are boardwalks, making it easy to walk, and there are lifts and ropeways. It is a popular spot for locals to see rhododendrons from spring to summer, and ski in winter. Jiazi means palanquin, which is named after the shape of the mountain. The mountain has another name called "Wumung shan". Two types of blue poppies bloom here.  （Park gate） Meconopsis wumungensis K.M.Feng The height is about 15-25cm tall. The inflorescence is in racemoce with peduncles growing from the petioles. It blooms along a staircase (100m in height) that seems to lead to the sky, which is called "Yi Xian Tian." in Chinese meaning Straight Line to Sky. (Altitude 3840m)  (yellow block is fall prevention)   However, at the top of these stairs, there is another form of M. wumungensis with different shaped leaf, which tip is rounded and deeply pinnated. And the inflorescence is scapose that grows directly from the root. 　(Alt. 3930m) Then, going down the stairs along the canyon and coming to the place where water is dripping from the rock wall, I found the third type with intermediate shaped leaves. (Alt. 3620m) Although the leaf shape and inflorescence are different, they are all M. wumungensis. Both leaf shape and inflorescence are important elements for plant identification, but these criteria can not be useful in this case. Then DNA (genetic) analysis is the last solution. A closely related species is M. polygonoides, which has been seen at the north of Thimphu in Bhutan and has also been reported to grow wild in Jilong County in southern Tibet, where is located near the northern border of Nepal. Meconopsis wilsonii subsp. orientalis Grey-Wilson, D.W.H.Rankin & Z.K.Wu Compared to the reference subspecies, M. wilsonii subsp. wilsonii, it is slightly smaller (120-130cm) and the tips of the leaf incisions are pointed. It is named because the habitat is about 1 degree east of the reference subspecies.  (Reference subspecies) Yele Nature Reserve, Miannin County, Sichuan Province (Alt. 3660m)   (Alt. 3680m) There is another subspecies of M. wilsonii. In search of it, I returned to Kunming and the next day drove west on the highway to Cangshan Mountain, which stands to the west of Dali. 　 Cang Shan Mountain A ropeway has been opened to the top of the southern Cangshan near Dali, making it easy to ascend and popular for local residents to relax. However, the northwestern part, where the flowers blooming, is left untouched by nature, and the only way to reach them is to follow the path in the pastures, which takes 10 hours round trip. Several people get lost and die every year. We stayed at a guesthouse run by a pasture farmer. Only women know where the flowers are, so we ask the wife of the farmer (far right) to show us around.   (With villagers in the guesthouse kitchen）   Meconopsis wilsonii subsp. australis Grey-Wilson It is 160-180cm tall, the same size as the reference subspecies, but the basal leaves are not dense and are coarse. The flower color is wine red. It grows south of the reference subspecies, so the species name comes from austra which means south in Latin.   The leaves are coarsely cut and have rounded tips. （Alt. 3550m） On the way, I saw some rhododendrons still blooming on the ridge. Rhododendron delavyi Franch. It blooms on ridges with little water. As its resistancy to dryness the flower could withstand shipping, so they have been exported to Europe and cultivated. Now they are highly valued in British gardens.(Alt. 3210m) Meconopsis paniculata is one of the species (Polychaetia series) close to M. wilsonii, and the distribution is wide along the southern edge of the Himalayas, from Arunachal Pradesh at the eastern end of India to central Nepal. However, although it is found in parts of Tibet (Kangshung Valley), it does not reach Yunnan. Similarly, M. wallichii, found in eastern Nepal and western Bhutan, and M. staintonii in central Nepal are also close to this species, but do not reach Yunnan. (These pictures are photographed in 2015-2016)         M. paniculata  M. wallichii  M. staintonii Ma'er Shan Mountain Meconopsis atrovinosa Tosh.Yoshida & H.Sun We descended Cangshan and returned to Dali for a stay. The next day, we headed north along the west coast of the Erhai Sea towards Shangri-La. On the way, we stopped at Ma'er Shan Mountain, where I searched for M. lancifolia last year, to look for two kinds of blue poppies. We were able to find young M. atrovinosa that I had seen at Luoji Mountain in southwestern Sichuan Province 11 years ago when the Blue Poppy Research Society made its first research trip. However we could not find the other kind of blue poppy, M. betonicifolia, which was collected here as a type specimen. (Alt. 3740m) 　　　　　　　　　 M. atrovinosa seen at Mt. Luoji in 2013. This was later registered as a new species. It is located 265km northeast of Mt. Ma'er Shan. Tianbao Shan Mountain The mountain locates 30km southeast of Shangri-La City. The altitude is 4750m. The entire mountain is made of limestone, and the foot of the mountain is covered with scum that fell from the summit. In the spring of 2014, I visited this place on a trip to commemorate the victims of the Meili Snow Mountain disaster of the Kyoto University Mountaineering Club, when the foot of the mountain was covered with rhododendrons, and the mountain was dyed pink. (Photo taken in spring 2014)  Meconopsis zhongdianensis Grey-Wilson This flower was found blooming on the cliffs at the mouth of the valley leading to Tianbao Shan Mountain. It is 60-80cm tall, with lanceolate leaves concentrated at the base. The petals are blue to blue-purple, and the anthers of the stamens are milky white. The species name comes from Zhongdian, the old name of Shangri-La. It can also be found on the cliffs around Napahai, west of Shangri-La, and at Bigu Tianchi Lake. The distribution area is narrow. (Alt. 3,460m)   　(Napahai, Alt. 3280m)   　　　Meconopsis rudis Prain The bristles on the leaves are sharp and spiny. If you accidentally touch them, they will pierce the skin and cause bleeding. M. rudis is characterized by black spines at the base and wide leaves. The inflorescence is often seen in racemes, but some are scapular (single flower on a stem). It grows in the limestone mountainous areas of northwestern Yunnan and neighboring southwestern Sichuan. I also encountered this at Kongque Shan Mountain and Balagezong where I visited later. The M. rudis found at Tianbao Mountain does not have black bases. This suggests that it may be a highland form of M. prattii or M. zhongdianensis. 　(Alt. 3,820m)  Meconopsis venusta Prain It grows on limestone scree plains same as M. rudis above. The leaves are pinnate, a feature commonly seen in the Meconopsis bella series. A similar species is Meconopsis pseudovenusta (see below), but it can be distinguished by the difference in capsule shape. The capsule of M. venusta is elongated.　 　(Alt. 3,820m)   In Tibet, M. prainiana, a species similar to M. zhongdianensis, is growing in Seji La (see below). M. bella, which is similar to M. venusta, is found in Bhutan and Nepal, but has not been reported in Tibet. In addition to the blue poppies, I was able to see flowers with plump bellies of the orchid and caryophyllaceae families. Cypripedium flavum P.F.Hunt & Summerh. A member of the lady's slipper family. It looks like a group of wooden shoes is tap dancing. 　(Alt. 3820m) A member of the Caryophyllaceae Possibly be Silene bilingua ? It was blooming near M. Zongdianensis at the entrance to the valley. (Alt. 3460m) Pujin Langba Pass This is the northernmost pass in Yunnan Province, which marks the border with Sichuan Province. The surrounding peaks exceed 5,000m in altitude, and are lined up around a glacial valley. This mountain is called Yunling, from which the name "Yunnan Province" came, meaning south of Yunling. It is made of granite containing iron, and the rocks have become brittle and crumbled due to wind and snow, forming scree fields. In the center of the peak stands a sharp rock peak called Pujinya, and beyond it you can see the snow-capped Meili Xueshan in the distance. It was the first clear day since I came to China. (View from the pass) 　Meconopsis uniflora Tosho. Yoshida, B. Xu & Bouford When I came here last year, I only saw one flower with buds, but this time I was able to see five or six flowers that had just bloomed. (Alt. 4920m) It blooms on scree slopes at an altitude of 4,920m. It grows to a height of about 15cm, but the diameter of the flower is 10cm, which is relatively large compared to other Meconopsis. Due to the harsh growing environment, it only produces one flower. It can grow in the extremely dry soil of scree slopes because the bristles on its leaves and stems can collect water droplets from the mist and send them to the roots. Pujin Langba where this flower blooms, is located in the northernmost part of Yunnan Province, and once covered by a glacier that now becomes U-shaped valley. It is surrounded by a series of steep rock peaks above 5,000m from sea level in an oval shape. Even in such a harsh environment, it produces large flowers to leave offspring, which makes me feel to see the tenacity of "life". This species was previously considered to be a variant of M. integrifolia, but was recognized as an independent species by the late Toshio Yoshida and others. 　 I have seen a species seemed to be a synonym of this one in Mi La in eastern Tibet, 670 km west from here. Meconopsis pseudointegrifloria Prain The habitat I saw was at the west of Mi La, between Lhasa and Linzhi. The altitude is 4,850m. There are lakes scattered around the area, and also there are also many grasslands. The height is about 40cm tall, and each plant has several peduncles, each of which bears one flower. It forms colonies in a small area. (Photo taken in July 2017)   Comparing these two species, although they grow at the same altitude, the size and number of flowers are different, making them seem like completely different species. However, they have only one flower per stem, and the leaves are basal leaves only, with no caulin leaves (stem leaves) growing halfway up the stem. The growing environment of M/ pseudointegrifolia is rich in water and has good soil, which may be the reason why it can grow large and densely. What would happen if the seeds of M. uniflora were sown in this good soil? (It is taboo to change the current environment, but it may be possible in a laboratory.) Near M. uniflora, there was a young flower that appeared clearly a blue poppy, although it had not yet produced buds or flowers. Meconopsis rudis Prain As it is called "Kan Yue Ru Long Hao" in Chinese it is characterized by its wide leaf. Also, it has black lumps at the base of the spines on the leaf. 　(Alt. 4910m) It is definitely M. rudis I saw last year on the opposite (northern) slope of the pass. (Alt. 4890m) After descending the scree slope for about 100m, a patch of grass appears. Clinging to the grass is… Meconopsis lancifolia subsp. eximia Grey-Wilson This is a subspecies of lancifolia that I observed at Mt. Ma'er Shan last year. The flowers are large and have many petals. I also saw this at Mt. Daxue Shan as well.　　　　　　　　(Alt. 4800m)    There are no species in Tibet that are similar to M. lancifolia. Going down another 100m, we reached the edge of the pond. Among the reddish granite.there is.. Meconopsis speciosa Prain The color of the petals is sky blue, which is closest to the color of the sky. Several peduncles emerge from the middle of the stem and produce flowers. The leaves are thick and deeply pinnated like feathers, with sharp black spines on surface. They are effective in preventing damage from herbivores and obtaining water droplets from fog. (Click to enlarge) (Alt. 4720m) There is a subspecies in Tibet which I observed later. A comparison is made in the Tibet section below. Lower areas of Pujin Langba (at the entrance to the valley) are a grassland where cows and sheep are grazing. Among them there are meconopsis with yellow petals blooming in spots. Meconopsis sulphurea Grey-Wilson The difference between this species and M. integrifolia, which is commonly found in Sichuan and Qinghai, is that the stigma of M. integrifolia is plate-shaped when it becomes a capsule, while that of M. sulphrea is cylindrical. Why is the stigma so long? Is it to select the best pollen by having sperm compete with each other, or is it to prevent hybridization with pollens of other species? (Shape of stigma) M. integrifolia 　M. sulphrea 　　　　　　　　　　　 (Alt. 4410m) M. sulphurea is distributed in the area of the Three Parallel Rivers in northwestern Yunnan - the Jinsha River (upper reaches of the Yangtze River), the Mekong River, and the Irrawaddy River. I have seen it in Laojun Mountain (Lijiang City) and Bigu Tianchi (Shangri-la City) in this region, and also at Kongque Shan Pass where I visited the next day. The same (or very close) species can also be found in Seji La and Temo La in Tibet. (A comparison of these is made in the Tibet section.) 　 Kongque Shan Pass A pass that crosses the Gaoli Gongshan Mountain Range, which separates the Lancang River (upstream of the Mekong River) and the Nujiang River (the Irrawaddy River). It was closed off by heavy snowfall in winter, but now a tunnel has been built and it is passable. As a result, the pass road has been abandoned, and landslides and falling rocks occur frequently, so it has been left as it is. In the near future, the pass road will likely become impassable. We descend from Deqin County to the Mekong River and drive along the river. The Mekong River cuts a deep valley and meanders greatly. The water, containing sediment from the Tibetan Plateau, was a murky reddish brown color.   Meconopsis impedita Prain     (All at an alt. of 3930m) A small blue poppy, about 15-20cm tall. The flower color varies from blue to bluish purple to reddish purple. The same species is also seen in Tibet. (See Tibet section below for comparison.) Meconopsis rudis Prain Compared to M. rudis of Tianbao Mountain, the leaves are slightly wider and the spines have black spots at the base, but their size is smaller. 　　　　　(Alt. 3900m)   I had expected to see M. compta at this pass, but unfortunately I did not see any. Instead, I found two kinds of lily. Fritillaria cirrhosa D.Don This is a genus of Fritillaria seen not only in China but also in the Himalayan region. The roots are used in traditional Chinese medicine and are highly valued, so many people go into the mountains to collect them. (Alt. of 3,930m.) Lilium souliei (Franch.) Sealy This is the genus of Lilium. It was previously classified as the genus of Fritillaria. After taking the Fritillaria photos, our guide dug up the roots and put them in his mouth. He spat out the Fritillaria immediately, saying it was so sour. But when he eat the root of Lilium he munched down the root with gusto. This clearly shows the difference between medicinal and edible uses.. On the way down the mountain, we met a group of Chinese flower observers. It seems that Chinese people have become so prosperous that they are now interested in wild flowers. On the other hand, considering the past boom in wild flowers in Japan, I cannot help but worry about the future of rare species.   Baima Xueshan Pass This is the main pass of the Hengduan Mountains, which separates the Jinsha River (upstream of the Yangtze River) from the Lancang River (upstream of the Mekong River). In the past, tea from Yunnan was transported all the way to Tibet, loaded onto horseback and crossing this pass. Now the road is paved and it can be reached from Shangri-La in about two hours. From the pass you can see the majestic Baima Snow Mountain. Currently, the tunnel construction is underway to go through the pass. In the near future, this pass road may also be abandoned. On the way heading from Deqin to Balagezong, we took the old road to descend from Baima Xueshan Pass to the Jinsha River. When the driver stopped the car on the roadside...  Meconopsis prattii Prain 35cm tall and the leaves are long and thin, concentrated at the base. There are bristles on but no black spots. Base leaf petioles are reddish. 　　(Alt. 4260m)   The below M. prattii I saw at Degehaizi Mountain in Sichuan Province last year.. Balagezong It is located on the border between Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. It is said that villagers who once lived in Sichuan province fled due to oppression and heavy taxes and migrated to this area, crossing the mountains over 4000m above sea level. Because it is located deep in a valley, the people of Yunnan were unaware of its existence until recently. It makes me reminded Du Zichun's Shangri-La or a village of Heike refugees in Japan. One of the mountain's peaks resembles a Buddhist stupa, so it has been developed into a tourist spot as a natural pagoda (Xiangbala Stupa), and many people visit now. The mountain is made entirely of limestone, and the vegetation is very similar to that of Tianbao Mountain and Zhugu Mountain. Meconopsis pseudovenusta G.Taylor This species is similar to M. venusta seen in Tianbao Mountain, but this capsule is oval in shape. I also saw this species in Shika Snow Mountain, Shangri-La. (Photo taken in 2015）   (Alt. 4270m) 　　Meconopsis rudis Prain Compared to the M. rudis in Mt. Tianbao and Mt. Kongque Shan Pass, the leaves are slightly narrower, but the black spots at the base of the spines are darker and more distinct. 　　　　(Alt. 4180m)     Young basil leaves 　   The slope is covered with pebbles and does not retain water well, but there are small grasslands here and there, where orchid flowers form colonies and bloom along with a little grass. Cypripedium yunnanense Franch It looks very similar to the Japanese Lady's slipper orchid. The pink flower on the bottom right is a member of Ponerochis family (see photo below). 　　　　(Alt. 4250m)   Ponerorchis chusua (D.Don) Soó A member of the butterfly orchid family, it grows wild in China and the Himalayan mountains.　　　　(Alt. 4230m)    　　　Ponerorchis crenulata Soó This is endemic to Yunnan Province and has a narrow distribution. 　 　(Alt. 4270m) 　　    Daxue Shan Mountain A mountain range that rises to the northeast of Shangri-La. Its highest point is 4980m, and it separates Yunnan Province from Sichuan Province. Last year, I ascended this mountain pass from Taocheng Yading in Sichuan Province, but a large rock fell from the slop blocked the road so that we couldn't get through to Shangri-La. This year, we tried from the Shangri-La side. This pass used to be one of the few roads leading to Sichuan Province, but now there is almost no traffic because a tunnel has been opened. Meconopsis lancifolia subsp. eximia Grey-Wilson This is the same species as I have seen at Pijin Langba, but it has only 4-5 petals. The stem also seems to be thin. North side of the pass (Alt. 4640m） South side of the pass (Alt. 4490m）   There is another Meconopsis with yellow-flower of the integrifolia series in Yunnan. 　Meconopsis lijiangensis Grey-Wilson M. sulphurea has saucer-shaped flowers, but this species has semi-spherical flowers. The capsules are also elliptical with ridges protruding from the stigma, and are similar to M. integrifolia, which is commonly seen in Sichuan. (Alt. 4480m)   　Meconopsis rudis Prain Compared to the M. rudis at Tianbao Mountain and Kongue Shan Pass, the base of the spines of the M. rudis here was the blackest. The blue stands out when photographed under a blue sky.　　　　　(Alt. 4610m) Going down the road on the right, you will reach the point where the road was closed last year. This time, I observed M. rudis in four places, but these leaves are narrower than those I have seen in the past in Mt. Zhugu and Shika Snow Mountain, and the black spots at the base of the spines are smaller or not clear. The M. rudis in Tianbao Mountain seems to be closer to M. zhondianensis and M. prattii. At Mt. Zhugu 　　At Mt. Shake (both photographed in 2015) M. speciosa, M. atrovinosa, and M. balangensis also have black spots at the base of spines. For what purpose are the black spots at the base of the spines anyway? One theory is that they are melanin that protects the leaves from ultraviolet rays, but plants do not produce melanin, so this theory is unacceptable. Where does the great variety and the vagueness of the species boundary of M. rudis come from? Looking at the distribution, M. horridula, which is widely distributed in Qinghai Province and Tibet, overlaps with M. racemosa in its southern border in Sichuan Province and Gansu Province, and M. racemosa borders the distribution area of M. prattii to the south. Furthermore, M. prattii borders M. rudis on the border of Sichuan Province and Yunnan Province, and M. zhondianensis is scattered within the distribution range of M. rudis. (See the conceptual diagram below.) Did the morphological changes, such as the spiny hairs, black spots at the base, and the structure of the peduncle, occur as the species moved north or south? I do not think that it is an evolution to overcome the temperature difference. I am considering that the meconopsis was a single species in ancient times and was isolated by the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau and the Hengduan Mountains due to the collision of the Indian subcontinent with the Asian continent 50 million years ago, then it would have taken on different forms to overcome the cold and the dryness. And if this isolation lead to reproductive isolation, it would become a different species. But they would be conspecific if they could interbreed and produce fertile offspring. Recent genetic analysis and breeding results suggest this would be likely. Here we finish our Yunnan trip and head to Tibet. I wanted to travel the old Chaba(Tea-Horse) Road from Shangri-La to Linzhi by land, but it would take five days to travel about 850 km, and I might miss the flowering season of the flowers I was looking for. Therefore, I flew to Milin in eastern Tibet via Chengdu. 　 Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region Lulang Located in the southeastern part of Tibet, it is only 20 km in distance from the Yarlung Tsangpo Great Curvature. In summer, the humid air from the Bengal Bay flows up the Brahmaputra River and brings heavy rain when it hits the Namcha Barwa and Gyara Peri mountains that stand in the Great Curvature. This makes the area a rich forest area, covered in greenery. In search of this greenery, tourists flock from Qinghai and Gansu provinces, where forests are scarce, to the area. The streams where Ranunculus nipponicus var. submersus once bloomed have been filled in and hotels have been built in rows. The reason why I hurried is to be eager to observe this flower.  Meconopsis florindae Kingdon-Ward   It is 25cm tall, has six pale yellow petals with 2cm in diameter. It grows in colonies on the moist forest floor. When I arrived It has just started to bloom, and only two are flowering. It looks like a forest fairy. Exactly 100 years ago, in August 1924, British plant hunter Kingdon-Ward collected this flower in Tra La, north of Namcha Barwa. However, since then, no one has seen this flower, and there are no photos, so it was a "phantom flower" with only a sample. At the end of June 2021, Liu Yuhong found a habitat for this flower. This time, we searched it based on that information. Construction of a high-speed railway linking Lhasa and Chengdu is underway near the habitat, and if the underground water veins change, this flower may also be affected. 　　(Alt. 3,710m) The flower was named after his wife, Florinda, whom he married in April of the year before the expedition. She was from a wealthy family and supported Kingdon-Ward financially. Was the name dedicated to his new wife, or was it a reward for her financial support? The latter seems to be the case, as there is a primrose (Primula cawdoriana Kingdon-Ward) named after Lord Cawdor, who accompanied Kingdon-Ward on the trip as his sponsor. Incidentally, there is also a primrose (Primula florindae Kingdon-Ward) named after his wife. This primrose has a pleasant fragrance, fitting for the name florid. The couple had two daughters, the eldest of which he named Pleione, after orchid. However, the couple divorced 14 years later. Primula florindae Kingdon-Ward It grows to 40cm tall. The white primrose in the background is P. sikkimensis. It has no scent. (Dongbacai Village, Alt. 3500m) Photographed in 2019. Primula cawdoriana Kingdon-Ward The height is about 15cm. The petal edges are deeply incised. It prefers moist rock walls. (Temo La, Alt. 4470m) The majority of blue poppy species prefer to grow in grasslands or rocky areas that receive plenty of sunlight. There are few species that choose to live in places with little sunlight, such as the forest floor or forest edges, like the Florinidae. Among the species that grow in such places are M. muscicola and M. sinuata. Meconopsis muscicola Tosh.Yoshida, H.Sun & Boufford Musci means moss. It was named after the wet place where moss grows near the stream. This species was first discovered by a Japanese nature lover. Laojun Mountain (3910m above sea level) Lijiang City, Yunnan Province (Photographed in 2015) Meconopsis sinuata Prain The species name "sinuata" means wavy and refers to the wavy edges of the leaves. The Muscicola on the left has also wavy leaf edge, so it is clear that they are belonging in the same family. Snowman Trek (Alt. 3,910m) in Bumthang Bhutan (Photographed in 2016)   The success of his expedition in eastern Tibet made Kingdon-Ward a national celebrity in two ways. First, he published a travel documentary, "The Riddle of the Tsuampo Gorges," which revealed and introduced the great bend of the Brahmaputra River, which had been a mystery until then. This book established his position as a travel writer, and he was able to secure a financial base by publishing travelogues of his expeditions thereafter. Second, he introduced the blue poppy to British gardens. Eleven years before he visited this area (1913), FM Bayley, an officer of the British Indian Army, picked a blue poppy here and inserted it in a notebook. When botanist Prain saw the pressed flower, he identified it as a new species of blue poppy, Meconopsis baileyi. Kingdon-Ward collected a large number of seeds and sent them to a seed dealer in his home country. The seeds germinated well in the British climate, and they were quickly introduced to British gardens, becoming a favorite in the horticultural world. Later, this flower was considered to be the same species as Meconopsis betonicifolia in Yunnan Province, and was named M. betonicifolia according to the rule of first naming, but in 2014, Gray-Wilson determined that it was a different species, and it was reverted to Meconopsis baileyi. While Kingdon-Ward collected it in the Rong Chu Valley (Dongbacai Village) below the Seji La, he had also looked many colonies in the valley where M. florindae blooms. Meconopsis baileyi Prain This species prefers river banks and moist forest floors. 　(Alt. 3800m) Four slender sisters Meconopsis betonicifolia Franch. Other than the capsule being slightly elongated, there is little difference in appearance between the two. The difference is in the roots, with M. betonicifolia having stolon roots. (Photo taken in 2015 at Laojun Mountain, Lijiang City, Alt. 3,990m) Both species belong to the Grandis series, and their close relatives include M. grandis in eastern Nepal, M. sherriffii in central and northern Bhutan, and M.gakyidiana in eastern Bhutan. A characteristic of this group is that leaves (stem leaves) emerge from the middle of the stem, and scapes emerge from the axils of those leaves. It seems to me that M. baileyi and M. betonicifolia may belong to different series from the other three species. DNA analysis is awaited. Meconopsis grandis Prain Meconopsis sherriffii G.Taylor Meconopsis gakyidiana Tosh.Yoshida, Yangzom & D.G.Long Topkegora, Nepal Menchugang, Bhutan 　　　Arunachal Pradesh, India   Seji La Pass/Temo La Pass It is the first pass about 30km east of the downtown of Linzhi on National Highway 318 (Sichuan-Tibetan South Road), and its highest point is 4,570m. Here is a key transportation point. Also, because it is only 33km away from the border with India (McMahon Line), a radar station has been established here. Recently, new radar base is installed at the observation deck at the top of the pass, so the access has been restricted. Meanwhile, Temo La is located 15km northeast of Seji La across the Rongchu Valley, and it is a pass where you can see the Yarlung Tsangpo River below and Mt. Namcha Barwa Peak above. Its altitude is 4,500m, the same altitude as Seji La. (Radar base on the peak) Large trucks used to be stopped at Seji La for a rest, but today, many tourists come by car or bus. To attract tourists, the area has become a tourist destination, with attractions such as loud rock music and horse riding. As a result, it is obvious what will happen: the flowers are picked, photographed, and then tossed away.    (Abandoned M. prainiana) The hill above the pass is the perfect point to look out Mt. Namcha Barwa, but a new radar station is built here, and it becomes a military zone and the entry is prohibited. M. speciosa, M. prainiana, M. impedita, and Rheum nobile are blooming here, but they could no longer be observed. For this reason, we are forced to look for flowers at another pass 7km north of Seji La. 100 years ago, Kingdon-Ward collected many species of rhododendrons as well as many blue poppies here. I have seen seven species of blue poppies in this area (map above). Meconopsis sulphrea Grey-Wilson This is the flower with the same name as those I saw at Pujin Langba and Kongque Mountain Pass in Yunnan Province, but on closer look they are slightly different.   Yunnan    Tibet Height  over 80cm under 80cm  Habitat Woodland / grassland Rocky ground Capsule shape  Oval Ellipse Capsule hair   few  many   Stem leaves many  few  Leaf bristles few  many  (Seji La alt. 4590m)   I think that these differences are due to the difference in climate between rainy Yunnan and dry Tibet. The below pictures are M. sulphurea flowers and their capsules that I have seen in various parts of Yunnan so far, so please compare them (please go back to the above in Pujin Langba section to see the M. sulphurea). Kongque Shan Pass Mt. Laojun (Lijiang City) Bigu Tianchi (Xianggeli-la City)             Just like pretty young women, as these flowers are beautiful as the others it is hard which is better, but once they are pregnant (make fruit), their parents' home becomes appeared. Now from where is the birth place of the "Sulphurea" of Seji La? In 2017, I trekked from Ganding Temple in the east of Lhasa to Sangya Temple on the banks of the Yarlung Tsangpo River (the trek was canceled due to snowfall on the way though). I saw some yellow meconopsis just before Chidu La (5,230m above sea level), the core part of the course, which were very similar to the one in Seji La. The late Toshio Yoshida also took photos of the flower at the same location and identified as Meconopsis sulphrea subsp. gracilifolia. It is about 300km west of Seji La, but the Yarlung Tsangbo River connects the two points, and they are in the same drainage basin. Meconopsis sulphurea subsp. gracilifolia Grey-Wilson Although we must wait for the results of DNA analysis to make an accurate judgment, even to the amateur's eye, the "sulphurea" in Seji La seems to be close to the subspecies gracilifolia (NW of Chidu La　alt. 5060m) I saw a very similar meconopsis in Temo La, on the eastern ridge standing on between the Yarlung Tsangbo River and the Rongchu Valley. It is possible that small seeds like mustard seeds are carried by the wind from Seji La (or vice versa). 　　　　　(Alt. 4500m) The M. speciosa I saw in Pujin Langba, Yunnan Province, is a racemes with a peduncle growing from the stem, but the one in Seji La has a single flower on a single stem (scapose) that grows from the root. The spines on the leaves are also soft and there are no black spots at the base. For this reason, it is classified as a subspecies. Meconopsis speciosa subsp. cawdoriana (Kingdon-Ward) Grey-Wilson The hill-top of Seji La now off-limits, so we had to search for another habitat. However, as the saying "when one door shuts, another opens", we were able to observe a magnificent M. speciosa in a new habitat 7km north of Seji La. This flower had 10 scapes, and 8 of them were in flower. It was 40cm tall, which was bigger than the one I saw at Seji La. (Pass north of Seji La, alt. 4550m) The below is subsp. cawdoriana I saw previously at Seji La. 　　　 This species was collected and named in 1924 (just 100 years ago) by Kingdon-Ward at Seji La. The subspecies name Cawdoriana he gave it was dedicated to Lord Cawdor, Kingdon-Ward's patron and the man who accompanied him on his exploration of Tibet. 　　　　　 (Photographed at Seji La in 2019)  I have also watched M. speciosa in Temo La. Different from the M. speciosa seen in Seji La, the inflorescence looks like to be in a racemes. However, on closer inspection, the peduncle that emerges from the stems have vertical stripes running down to the base, making them appeared to be connated. I cut the connating part with a knife, and the knife slid right in all the way to the base. The stems may originally be separated in the time of its ancestors. If so, the inflorescence is scapose - one flower per stem and it turns to the same species as Cawdoriana in Seji La. I am not sure why the stems are connated, but it is possible that the stems were rubbed by strong winds and connated. 　　(Alt. 4520m) (expansion) Cutting the connated part with a knife. The vascular bundles of the peduncle are not connected to those of the stem, and extend all the way to the base (click the above picture to enlarge). This time, I did not examine the peduncle structure of M. speciosa (reference subspecies) in Yunnan Province, but if the vascular bundle of the stem is not connected as in the case of M. speciosa in Temo La, the peduncles would be connated. If so, the difference between the type species and the subspecies (cawdoriana) is slight, which means just the difference in the growing environment. If that is the case, can we really say it is a different (sub)species? This case could also apply to the difference between M. horridula and M. racemosa. It is possible that what was previously considered to be a different species would be redefined as the same species. In Nepal or Bhutan there is no species close to M. speciosa, but and M. aculeata in Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh in India, where locates more than 2000 km west from Seji La, is belonging to same series but the leaf shape is different and there are no characteristic black spots on the leaves. DNA analysis might show that they are not in same series.     Meconopsis aculeata Royle South of Sach Pass (Alt. 3080m) Himachal Pradesh, India Pangi Valley Bartley (Alt. 3430m) 　(photographed in 2014)       There exists a Meconopsis at Seji La that I saw at Kongque Shan Pass in Yunnan. Meconopsis impedita Prain　 Seji La North (Alt. 4590m）  Seji La North (Alt. 4570m)   Seji La (Alt. 4640m） photographed in 2019 Both species have bluish purple and reddish purple petals and bloom downwards. The outer skin of the buds of the Tibetan Impedita has dark maroon markings, but the stem length and leaf shape are also the same, so they may be considered to be the same species. (However, I was not able to find it in Temo La.) This species is close to M. primulina, and its relatives include M. concinna from Zhugu Shan in Lijiang City, Yunnan, M. Ludlowii from eastern Bhutan, and M. primulina from Chomolhari Trek in the west Bhutan. All species have a single flower on a scape, 15 cm tall.  Meconopsis concinna Prain    Meconopsis ludlowii Grey-Wilson    Meconopsis primulina Prain   It is about 15cm tall and has four petals. Mt. Zhugu, Lijiang City, Yunnan Province (Alt. 4140m) (photographed in 2015)     West of Se La Pass Arunachal Pradesh, India (Alt. 4320m) (photographed in 2015)     Chomolhari tsophu, Western Bhutan (Alt. 4,410m) (photographed in 2016)     　 Meconopsis prainiana 　Kingdon-Ward It grows to 50-80cm tall. The leaves concentrates at the base and the shape is entire, with stiff, densely spinous hairs. The inflorescence is in racemes, with light blue petals and egg yellow anthers. It is only observed in Seji La, never in Temo La. 　　　　(Alt. 4600m) It looks alike M. zhongdianensis and M. prattii seen around Shangri-la City, Yunnan Province, suggesting a relationship (taxonomically it belongs to the racemosa series). Also, the M. merakensis var. albolutea seen at Se La Pass in Arunachal Pradesh, India in 2015 was previously called M. prainiana var. lutea, and its similarity has been known for a long time.　 　　　　　(Alt. 4230m) Meconopsis merakensis var. albolutea Tosh.Yoshida, Yangzom & D.G.Long It seems that there would a blue poppy trail running from Bhutan along the southern edge of the Himalayas, via Seji La, to Yunnan. So far,we have compared the Meconopsis of Seji La with that of Yunnan, which lies to the east, but there is another Meconopsis whose eastern end of distribution is at the Seji La, though this flower has generated much controversy. Meconopsis nyingchiensis L.H.Zhou or Meconopsis aff. simplicifolia It is a rather complicated name. It was collected by the Tibetan Chinese medicine expedition in 1972 and named after the place where it was collected, Linzhi (Nyenchi in Tibetan). Although the line drawing (right) remains, the specimen was lost and verification was not possible. Flowers are blooming on the slope of a deforested area about 6km west of Seji La and matching the line drawing. It clearly belongs to the M. simplicifolia series and closely resembles the subspecies Grandiflora.　　　　　(Alt. 4130m) Line drawing (click to enlarge) It can also be seen on the rocky slopes around Seji La. It starts to flower in late June, earlier than other blue poppies. (Both photos were taken in 2017) stigma　 It is resembling to the line drawing. I also saw them in Temo La and Seji La North (Alt. 4600m) I have ever seen Meconopsis simplicifolia subsp. grandiflora Grey-Wilson in Nyure La in Bhutan, at Se La Pass in Arunachal Pradesh, India, and at Shao La on the Tibet-Nepal border.        Nyure La (4690m)  Se La Pass (Alt. 4340m)   Shao La (Alt. 4180m) Other than above, its habitats have been confirmed in the Shannan district and Shigatse region of Tibet, and when we add these and plot them on a map, we can see that it is distributed in an arc along the southern edge of the Himalayas. Judging from its morphology and distribution, the species of Seji La seems to be M. simplicifolia subsp. grandiflora. However, it is possible that it may have hybridized with a close species such as M. sulphurea, so we will have to wait for the results of DNA analysis and cross-breeding tests to reach a conclusion, but it is unlikely to become an independent species. The reference subspecies, M. simplicifolia subsp. simplicifolia, is distributed in western and central Bhutan, but the boundary with subsp. grandiflora is unclear. 　 Lang County/Da La Tso Lake We headed upstream along the Yarlung Tsangpo River from Linzhi. After driving for a while past Milin where the airport is located, the trees on both slopes of the mountain, which had been covered in green until then, disappear and are replaced by bare soil. Moisture generated in the Bay of Bengal travels upstream along the Brahmaputra River. And when it passes through the Great Curve, it hits high peaks such as Namcha Barwa and turns into rain. The dry air then causes the Föhn effect, turning the banks of the Yarlung Tsangpo River into an arid zone like a desert. Lang County is located halfway between Lhasa and Linzhi, and now a high-speed railway station is built. A new city has been developed around the station. 　　(Yarlung Tsangpo River in Lang County) At the county capital of Langxian, we left the Yarlung Tsangpo River and entered the southern valley. The road along the Dilatso River is currently undergoing construction to expand, and will eventually reach the Sikkim-India border. Whether it will become a trade route or a military road will depend on the state of Sino-Indian relations at the time. In either case, the guide lamented that once checkpoints are set up, it will be difficult to pass freely as before. Foreigners are allowed to enter the southern part of Langxian, but they are not allowed to enter Longzi County beyond where M. arghemonantha grows. After a two-hour drive, we arrived at Dalatso lake, a national nature reserve, and headed for the pass at the county border. The guide said there was a flower that looked similar to M. speciosa. Dalatso Lake Three lakes connected together. Beyond the pyramid-shaped mountain in the background there is the prefecture border. Meconopsis merakensis Tosh.Yoshida, Yangzom & D.G.Long This species was discovered by the Blue Poppy Research Group of Japan in 2014 during a survey in the Mera region of eastern Bhutan, and was later recognized as a new species by Toshio Yoshida. In Chinese, it is called Yumai Luronghao because it was first collected in China in Yumai Township, Longzi County, 11km south of this pass, but it is 250km away from the Mera region, so it is considered to have a wide distribution area. 　 The color and shape of the flowers are similar to those of M. speciosa, but the shape of the leaves is different, and it lacks the essential sharp spines and black spots. It is said that they used to bloom in abundance along the roadside, but were wiped out during road widening work. 　　　(Alt. 4670m) Except the color of the flower, it is difficult to distinguish it from the aforementioned M. prainiana. Also, its variant albolutea was considered to be a variant of M. prainiana. If DNA analysis were conducted, it may be possible to redefine M. melakensis and M. prainiana as the same species. In addition, M. elongata, which is close to this species, is found in the Ha region of western Bhutan. Like M. simplicifolia, this series of Meconopsis may have changed its shape and color and traveled along the southern edge of the Himalayas, arrived at Seji La, and then spread to Yunnan (or vice versa).   Meconopsis elongata Tosh.Yoshida, Yangzom & D.G.Long The characteristic of this species is that the tips of the stamen filaments become white and thread-like. Ha Region, Western Bhutan (Photographed in 2016, alt. 4,300 m)   This may be a hybrid of M. elongata and M. horridula This was blooming near M. elongata. This has no white parts in the filaments.. A taxonomic comparison of the meconopsis observed in Yunnan Province and eastern Tibet (Linzhi region) is presented in the table below.   Classification (section) Classification (series)  Yunnan Eastern Tibet Bhutan and Nepal  Section Polychaetia Series Polychaetia wilsonii   paniculata wallichii staintoni Section Accureatae speciosa speciosa (cawdoriana) accureata (Western India) Section Bellae  Series Primulinae impedita concinna impedita  primulina ludlowii  Section Bellae Series Bellae venusta pseudovenusta   bella Section Racemosae Series Racemosae rudis zhondianensis atrovinosa prattii prainiana merakensis merakensis elongata horridula Section Forrestianae Series Forrestianae lancifolia     Section Cumminsia  Series Cumminsia wumungensis   polygonoides Section Cumminsia  Series Sinuatea muscicola florindae  sinuata Section Grandes Section Integrifoliae uniflora sulphrea pseudointegrifolia sulphrea   Section Grandes Section Grandes betonicifolia baileyi grandis gakydiana  Section Grandes  Section Simplicifoliae nyingchiensis  simplicifolia (Note: Using the taxonomy proposed by Toshio Yoshida. Note that section Polychaetia is classified into the subgenus Meconopsis, section Grandis into the subgenus Grandis, and the other sections into the subgenus Cunminsia.)   From the above list, we can see the following distribution patterns: 1. Widely distributed from Yunnan to the southern edge of the Himalayas - Series Aculeatae, S. Primulinae, S. Racemosae, S. Sinuatae, S. Grandes 2. Distributed in Yunnan and the southern edge of the Himalayas, but not in eastern Tibet (isolated distribution) - S. Polychaetia, S. Bellae, S. Cunminsia 3. Distributed in Yunnan and eastern Tibet, but not in the southern edge of the Himalayas - S. Integrifoliae 4. Distributed in eastern Tibet and the southern edge of the Himalayas, but not in Yunnan - S Simplicifoliae 5. Distributed only in Yunnan - S. Forestanae, (also Section Delavayii) 6. Distributed only on the southern edge of the Himalayas - (not listed above) Subgenus Meconopsis, Section Robustae, Subgenus Discogyne, etc. (In addition, there are species distributed in the north of Yunnan, such as Sichuan and Gansu provinces) These Meconopsis species are distributed within the area indicated by the blue lines in the map below, and are located on either side of the main ridges of the Himalayas and the Hengduian Mountains. Although I don't have the ability to discuss the distribution of Meconopsis, I am considering that the distribution may have progressed through the following processes. 1. Approximately 50 million years ago, the Indian subcontinent, which was separated from Gondwana, collided with the southern edge of the Asian continent, causing the uplift of the Himalayan Mountains and the Tibetan Plateau. 2. After the collision, the Indian subcontinent rotated clockwise, causing the eastern part of the Himalayas to fold and the Hengduan Mountains to rise. 3. The Tethys Ocean, which was a shallow sea, shrank and uplifted, becoming land with a limestone base. 4. The formation of a high mountain belt near the equator disrupted the weather, causing the south of the mountain range to become hot and humid, and the north to become a cold and dry - monsoon climate. 5. The ancestors of Meconopsis, which grew in the warm and relatively dry coastal areas of the Tethys Ocean, avoided the high temperatures and humidity and migrated to the high mountains where are relatively dry. 6. During the glacial period that began about 35 million years ago, the ancestors of Meconopsis moved down into the valleys. Some on the northern slopes of high mountains and on plateaus covered by ice sheets became extinct. 7. Species that moved down into deep valleys were no longer able to interbreed with closely related species and began to evolve independently (becoming endemic). 8. With the start of the interglacial period, they returned to the alpine zone, but because they had become heterogeneous, interbreeding became difficult. They also moved eastward and westward along the mountain ranges, expanding their distribution. The Linzhi region in eastern Tibet is the eastern end of the main Himalayan ridge and a node to the Hengduan Mountains. It is also a wind outlet that sends monsoon moisture to the Tibetan Plateau. This makes it a key botanical geographical point, where rich vegetation can be seen. It is also an important base for the Blue Poppy Corridor that stretches from Yunnan to Nepal, but unfortunately some areas are not open to foreigners, and research there has not progressed. I would like to continue to closely study this region and elucidate the overall figures of the Blue Poppy Corridor.

Thank you for reading until the end.

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★Performance of the Noh play "Takasago"

On May 3rd, I played the "shite(main actor)" role in the Noh play "Takasago" at the Shunkou-kai Company's recital held at the National Noh Theatre. I have performed five Noh plays so far, but this was the first time to perform a play of "Kami (God)". To watch the performance, please click here or copy and paste the following URL into your browser: https://insite-r.co.jp/Noh/shunkoukai/2024/takasago/takasago.html (Note: These sites are all Japanese)

★ Year 2025 Calendar

I have created a "2025 Four Seasons Flower Calendar" with flowers seen this year and last year, including the flowers shown on this page. This year, we are printing extra copies to send to those who were affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake and heavy rain disaster and are living in temporary housing. For details please click here

Related pages (Past China Flower Travel Records)
Blue poppies in China(Japanese)
Spring in Yunnan(Japanese)
Blue poppies in China(Tang) and Tibet(Tianjiku) (Japanese)
Sky flowers in Tibet
Crossing the great river (Flower travel in Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, China) (Previously issued)


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2024.11.18 upload
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