Why is it in the news?
→ Rare Himalayan plants highlighted for unique biology and conservation importance.
Category
Environment
Important Points
- Scientific name Rheum nobile; family Polygonaceae.
- Found at 4,000–4,800 m in North Sikkim, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Myanmar.
- Grows on alpine slopes, glacial valleys and tundra-like environments.
- Tall translucent bracts act as natural glasshouses protecting from UV and freezing winds.
- Monocarpic plants once after 7–30 years then die.
- Forms pagoda-like spikes during bloom.
- Stems locally consumed as chuka; used in Himalayan and Tibetan medicine.