Meconopsis superba Prain in J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal 64 (2): 317. 1896.

Herbs, monocarpic, with stout elongated taproots; stems up to 1.5 m tall, stout, leafy, tomentose with appressed golden-brown, 5 - 8 mm long bristly hairs, mixed with short much-branched hairs. Basal leaves simple, unlobed, obovate, ca 40 x 8.5 cm, shallowly serrate, on ca 5 cm long petioles, densely sericeous; stem leaves sessile, oblanceolate, elliptic-oblong, semiamplexicaul at base, acute at apex, incised-serrate along margins, smaller than basal leaves. Flowers borne singly at axils of uppermost leaves, forming leafy racemes of 6 - 20 flowers; pedicels stout, clothed with golden-brown hairs. Sepals broadly ovate-oblong, obtuse, 4 - 6 cm long, tomentose. Petals 4, ovate-orbicular, 3.5 - 5 cm across, white. Filaments 12 - 15 mm long; anthers ca 2 mm long. Ovary globose or ovoid-ellipsoid, tomentose; styles distinct and stout, 3 - 5 mm long; stigmas capitate with 12 - 16 distinct lobes. Capsules ellipsoid, 4 - 5 x 1.5 -2 cm, borne on very stout elongated 12 - 25 cm long pedicels, dehiscing by 7 - 11 valves; seeds subreniform, papillose.

Fl. & Fr. July - Oct.

Distrib. India: E. Himalayas, among shrubs on alpine slopes, 3900 - 4200 m. Sikkim.

Bhutan and China (Tibet).