Common name: Himalayan Saw-wort
Botanical name: Saussurea piptathera Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower family)
Saussurea is a genus of about 300 species of flowering plants, with the
highest diversity in alpine habitats in the Himalaya and central Asia.
Interestingly, the species name piptathera originates from the Greek
pipto (to fall) and ather (stalk). The plant has elliptic-lancelike leaves
with sharply toothed margins. Flower-head start as wooly, dirty looking buds,
and open to purple flowers.It is found in the Himalayas (Tehri-Garhwal to
Sikkim) at altitudes of 3400-3700.
| Photographed in Valley of Flowers, Uttaranchal. |
Identification credit: Umesh Tiwari
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