Meconopsis grandis Prain in J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal 64(2): 320. 1895.

Herbs, polycarpic, up to 1.5 m high; roots short, fibrous; stems covered with appressed 5 - 8 mm long bristles. Leaves all basal, oblanceolate or elliptic-oblong, acute at apex, cuneate at base, 10 - 25 x 2 - 8 cm, with several shallow broad teeth along margins; basal leaves sessile, becoming bract-like at top, sometimes cordate; petioles 10 - 30 cm long, bristly, sheathing at base. Flowers 1 - 4 per stem, on 10 - 15 cm long pedicels, becoming elongated up to 60 cm in fruit. Sepals broadly oblong-ovate, obtuse, 3 - 3.5 cm long, appressed bristly. Petals 4 - 5 (-9), purple or blue tinged with purple, 4 - 7 cm long. Filaments filiform, 1 - 1.5 cm long, white; anthers ca 2 mm long, yellow. Ovary oblong or ellipsoid, patently or appressed bristly; styles 5 - 15 mm long; stigmas globose, 4 - 6-lobed. Capsules ellipsoid-oblong, dehiscing by 4 - 6 valves, 3.5 - 4.5 cm long, glabrous or patently bristly; seeds reniform.

Fl. & Fr. June - Sept.

Distrib. India: E. Himalayas, between 3400 - 4600 m. Sikkim.

Bhutan, Nepal and China (Tibet).

Notes. Chromosome no. n = 28, 2n = 56 (Ratter & Milne in Notes R. Bot. Gard. Edinb.32: 429 - 438. 1973).

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