Saussurea obvallata Blooming in the Bhutan Himalayas

Abstract

 Bhutan is located on the southern flank of the eastern Himalayas and is an important region for understanding regional metamorphism and igneous activity within the orogenic belt formed by the collision between the Indian subcontinent and the Eurasian continent, which began in the Eocene. While the overall geological structure of the country is gradually being clarified, many uncertainties remain, particularly in the mountainous northern border areas and the eastern regions.

 Since FY2021, the National Museum of Nature and Science has been conducting a five-year interdisciplinary research project titled “Integrated research on extreme environments.” As part of this initiative, a geological and botanical survey was carried out in northwestern Bhutan in August 2024. This area has an extreme environment characterized by cold, arid conditions and intense ultraviolet radiation, making it a harsh habitat for most plants and animals. The aim of the survey is to understand the relationship between alpine vegetation and geology in such high-altitude environments.

 This photograph was taken near the base camp of Mt. Jomolhari (elevation 7,314 m), at an altitude of approximately 4,300 meters. Saussurea obvallata in the foreground belongs to the Asteraceae family and is known as Brahma Kamal, King of the Himalayan Flowers and other names. The pale yellow, lantern-like structures are not flowers, but specialized leaves called bracts that surround the flower heads. These bracts function to create a greenhouse-like microenvironment around the flowers, serving as an adaptation for survival in the cold alpine climate.

(Photograph and explanation: Kenichiro TANI, taken on August 17, 2024)