Meconopsis betonicifolia explained

Meconopsis betonicifolia (syn. Meconopsis baileyi), the Himalayan blue poppy, is a species of flowering plant in the family Papaveraceae. It was first formally named for western science in 1912 by the British officer Lt. Col. Frederick Marshman Bailey.^[1]

Meconopsis betonicifolia is hardy in most of the United Kingdom^[2] and it has striking large blue flowers. This herbaceous perennial is often short-lived.^[2]

Description

Meconopsis betonicifolia is a rare flower found in the Himalayan regions of Nepal, Tibet, and Myanmar at elevations of 2000 to 5000 meters.^[3] It thrives in slightly alkaline to acidic soils in cool, moist environments. The flower's distinctive blue color results from various pigments influenced by the soil's pH and UV light exposure.^[4] Blue poppies have been introduced to gardens for their beauty; however, due to overexploitation, they are becoming scarce in the wild.^[5] The hermaphroditic flowers bloom from late spring to early summer, attracting pollinators such as bees and butterflies, which are crucial for cross-pollination and genetic diversity. The plant's life cycle spans two to three years, with flowering occurring in the second or third year after seed germination. Followed by wind-dispersal, the seeds can remain viable for several years.

Notes and References

1. Book: Paulette Singley . 2004 . Eating Architecture . limited . MIT Press . 978-0-262-08322-5 . 47.
2. Web site: Royal Horticultural Society . Meconopsis betonicifolia . 2 August 2020.
3. Qu . Yan . Ou . Zhi . Yang . Fu-sheng . Wang . Shu . Peng . Jiansong . 2019-03-20 . The study of transcriptome sequencing for flower coloration in different anthesis stages of alpine ornamental herb (Meconopsis 'Lingholm') . Gene . 689 . 220–226 . 10.1016/j.gene.2018.12.017 . 30572099 . 0378-1119.
4. Takeda . Kosaku . Yamaguchi . Shin . Iwata . Keizo . Tsujino . Yasuko . Fujimori . Takane . Husain . Sayed Z. . 1996-06-01 . A malonylated anthocyanin and flavonols in the blue flowers of Meconopsis . Phytochemistry . 42 . 3 . 863–865 . 10.1016/0031-9422(95)00067-4 . 1996PChem..42..863T . 0031-9422.
5. Cheng . Peizhao . Gan . Ruixi . Wang . Cong . Xu . Qian . Norbu . Kelsang . Zhou . Feng . Kong . Sixin . Jia . Zhuoma . Jiabu . Dawa . Feng . Xin . Wang . Junsong . October 2024 . Comparative Evaluation of the Chemical Components and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Yellow- and Blue-Flowered Meconopsis Species: M. integrifolia and M. betonicifolia . Metabolites . en . 14 . 10 . 563 . 10.3390/metabo14100563 . free . 2218-1989 . 11509530 . 39452944.