Field Notes

In Kinnaur, eight species of Berberis have been reported so far, including Berberis asiatica, B. chitria (endemic), B. coriaria (endemic), B. jaeschkeana, B. kunawurensis (endemic), B. lycium, B. pachyacantha (endemic), B. pseudo-umbellata (endemic), out of which five are endemic to the Himalayan region.

Tikang oo is native to the temperate regions of Europe expanding its distribution upto Japan in Asia, typically found at elevations between 2000 and 4300 meters. Gagea lutea (Yellow Star of Bethlehem) gets its name from its yellow flowers and star-shaped petals.

Daphne mucronata Royle, first described in 1836 from the Western Himalayas, is one of the few species originally documented from this region (J.D. Hooker in Flora of British India (FBI 5: 193)).

The pollen of Isodon rugosus (Wrinkled Leaf Isodon) is a major food source for bees in spring, making it an important plant for honey production in the region. Both the Eastern honeybee (Apis cerana) and the European honeybee (Apis mellifera) forage on its flowers.

Although currently listed as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List, Bergenia ciliata is facing a declining population trend (assessed in 2019). This species flowers during the winter and early spring months, a time when most other floral resources are scarce. Its early blooms serve as a crucial food source for a range of pollinators including the native honeybee (Apis cerana), bumblebees (Bombus spp.), common drone fly (Eristalis tenax) and butterflies like Cynthia cardui.

Chemical analysis of P. denticulata has revealed the presence of Primetin-19, a flavonoid suggesting that P. denticulata may have potential as a snake venom antidote. However, ethnobotanical records on its traditional use for this purpose remain limited.