Neelakurinji Flowers

Visitors are arriving in large numbers to witness the blooming of neelakurinji flowers in the state of Kerala.

The team comprising E. Kunjikrishnan and Jomy Augustine, a neelakurinji expert, recently identified the plant kinds.
They claim that the flowers that are on bloom now belong to the Strobilanthes kunthiana variety.
Strobilanthes anamallaica, Strobilanthes heyneanus, Strobilanthes pulnyensis, and Strobilanthes neoasper are among the varieties of neelakurinji flowers that have been identified from the hill ranges in addition to Strobilanthes kunthiana.
These neelakurinji species, which cover over 200 acres of the Kallippara hills, are entirely indigenous to the Western Ghats.
In fact, after the protected regions of Munnar, the neelakurinji population here can be regarded as one of the largest of the species.
On the slopes, a wide range of therapeutic plants have also been seen.
The gregarious blossoming (large flowering at once) type is shown by the bloom that was observed at Kallippara.

In the Western Ghats especially from Mangaladevi ranges to Coorg in Karnataka experts have identified nearly 100 populations of the Strobilanthes kunthiana variety.
It is also found that isolated flowerings are being reported from other areas as well in the close by regions.
This has been reported in Eravikulam National Park, the biggest sanctuary of neelakurinji flowers and Bhadrakali Shola at Puthumala.

Source The Hindu

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