Himalayan Coral
By Thomas on February 3, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Expecting nothing but barren rock in the harsh climate of the high Himalayas above 5500 meters (18,150 ft), I was surprised to find a flourishing plant life. Although stunted and not at all obvious at first sight, a closer look revealed a colorful myriad of plants clinging to the weather-beaten boulders. The clustering and unusual shapes and textures of these plants reminded me a lot of the multi-colored coral reefs of the Red Sea – just on a much smaller scale and, of course, in a much drier environment.
I was so thrilled with the plant life, I put together a pictorial called Himalayan Coral. It is difficult to get my hands on a plant guide and so I have no idea what these plants are called. If any of you recognizes them and has a name for them, please let us know.
Topics: Nepal | 1 Comment »
February 3rd, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Cool, Thomas! I think we share an appreciation of microscapes. I looked through your photos and I would need a plant guide too. I could make a stab at a couple of them based on the structure of the seed heads, but I’m sure you’d need a person with knowledge of Asian high-altitude botany to really identify them. I’ve got a couple of botanist friends whom I could ask to take a look at the photos. I really appreciate having a glimpse into the botany of that place!