Flowering from June to August.
Meconopsis betonicifolia is close relative of Meconopsis grandis, but differs from the latter in its base of leaves truncate or cordate (vs. cuneate), flowers usually 3-6 (vs. 1-3).
Meconopsis betonicifolia is occurring in SE Xizang, NW Yunnan of China, N Myanmar.
Herbs perennial. Rootstock short, plump, with persistent petiolar bases, densely shortly branched rubiginous villous. Stems erect, 30-100 cm tall, stout, to 1.5 cm in diameter, glabrous or sparsely rubiginous barbellate-villous. Basal leaves slightly glaucous abaxially, ovate-lanceolate or ovate, 5-15 cm long, 4-7 cm wide at base, both surfaces shortly branched sparsely barbellate-villous, more densely so on margin and abaxially, midvein prominent, with several transverse bifurcate lateral veins, base cordate or truncate, often decurrent onto petiole, base ampliate to sheath, margin broadly incised-toothed, apex rounded to acute. Lower cauline leaves similar to basal, often more oblong; middle and upper cauline leaves similar but gradually smaller, sessile, auriculate-amplexicaul; uppermost 3 or 4 often aggregated into a false whorl. Inflorescence subumbellate, 3-6-flowered, often with several flowers at leaf axil below whorl, more rarely from lower cauline leaf axils. Flowers nodding to half-nodding, saucer-shaped. Pedicel erect, to 30 cm long. Flower buds broadly ovoid, 6-8 cm in diameter, sparsely rubiginous barbellate-villous. Petals 4, or in terminal flowers 5 or 6, blue or purple, rarely white, broadly ovate, orbicular, or obovate, 3-5 cm long, 2.5-3.5 cm wide, obtuse to subacute. Filaments white, filiform, 5-10 mm long; anthers orange or golden, oblong, ca. 1 mm. Ovary elliptic-oblong, glabrous or rarely rubiginous barbellate-villous to subglabrous; styles clavate, 2-6 mm; stigmas virescent, 4-7-lobed, decurrent to styles. Capsule oblong-elliptic, 2.5-4.5 cm long, ca. 1 cm wide, rufous-barbellate to glabrous, slightly 4-7-valvate for ca. 1/3 its length from apex. Seeds reniform, ca. 1 mm, longitudinally striate, with alveolate foveolae.
Growing in forest understories, grassy slopes; 3000-4000 m.
Meconopsis betonicifolia (syn. Meconopsis baileyi), the Himalayan blue poppy,[1] is a species of flowering plant in the family Papaveraceae. It was first formally named for western science in 1912 by the British officer Lt. Col. Frederick Marshman Bailey.[2]
Meconopsis betonicifolia is hardy in most of the United Kingdom[3] and it has striking large blue flowers. This herbaceous perennial is often short-lived.[3]
Meconopsis betonicifolia (syn. Meconopsis baileyi), the Himalayan blue poppy, is a species of flowering plant in the family Papaveraceae. It was first formally named for western science in 1912 by the British officer Lt. Col. Frederick Marshman Bailey.
Meconopsis betonicifolia is hardy in most of the United Kingdom and it has striking large blue flowers. This herbaceous perennial is often short-lived.
