Open AccessEcological studies on five species of endangered Himalayan poppy, Meconopsis (Papaveraceae)
Author(s) -
SULAIMAN IRSHAD M.,
BABU C. R.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
botanical journal of the linnean society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.872
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1095-8339
pISSN - 0024-4074
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8339.1996.tb00751.x
Subject(s) - biology , endangered species , ecology , villosa , habitat , botany
Ecological studies were carried out on 19 endangered populations of Meconopsis horridula, M. paniculata, M. simplicfolia, M. sinuata and M. villosa from the Sikkim Himalayas. The populations of M. horridula, M. paniculata and M. sinuata inhabit open alpine slopes, those of M. simplicfolia are restricted to alpine meadows, while those of M. villosa are confined to the interiors of temperate forests and along forest fringes. The habitats of these species remain snow‐hound from October to February. Analyses suggest that all the species except M. horridula , have a broad area of distribution, but narrow habitats and niches. All five species are confined to moist, clayey to silty soils with acidic pH, high concentrations of organic matter, nitrate, phosphate, potassium and calcium. M. paniculata is a ‘generalist’, whereas all other species investigated are ‘specialists’.