FIRST REPORT ON THE OCCURRENCE OF MONESES UNIFLORA IN BHUTAN

Introduction

Bhutan is home to many flowering and non-flowering plants. This report intends to provide a basic information on one species of flowering plant Moneses uniflora for the first time from the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan.

Geographical Distribution

Moneses uniflora is reported from China, Japan, North Korea, Mongolia, Russia and is known to be widely distributed in Northern Temperate and Sub-Arctic zones, particularly Europe (Flora of china at http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200016134). However, this is the first record of this plant in Bhutan from Chelila. The author found this plant on 25^th June 2015 on his first plant search in the particular area and again on 1^st July 2018 from the same spot on his second plant expedition at an elevation of 3430masl within the geographic coordinates of 27°23’19.00” N 89°20’52.04” E.

Moneses uniflora

Field observation 

 

It is a single white nodding flower herb with 3 or more whorled simple deep green leaf, alternate at base and tooth/serrated at the edge of the leave blade. Flowers symmetrical with 5 petals and 5 sepals. Stem glabrous erect and not branched. Roots are long, slender and branched. It shares its habitat with wild Frageria nubicola, Iris sp, Orechis foliosa and Rhododendron shrubs grown on decaying needles and mosses of dry spruce forests with open slopes. It is also found in slightly disturbed areas along the road sides on moist soils. The flowering time as observed in the field in case of this particular location is from late June to July. It has been observed in east or southeast facing slopes (aspect). The soil type preferences need to be assessed in future.  

 

Literature Review

 

Linnaeus in 1753 named it as Pyrola uniflora from the specimens collected from Europe. Later in 1843 Thomas Nuttal renamed it as Moneses reticulata as mentioned by Richard Salisbury on creating a new genus of Moneses in 1700s. The current nomenclature of Moneses uniflora was given by one Asa Gray in 1848 (https://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com).

The flower of the plant is said to be used as medicinal remedy by native American tribes for the treatment of skin rashes, cold, throat pain and analgesic (Flora of North America; http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200016134). The plant is also used for the treatment of bunions and corns in humans simply by bandaging the flowers on the affected area (http://www.borealforest.org/herbs/herb25.htm).

Description

 

The evergreen perennial herbs grow 3-10 cm in height (Borealforest.org) and is 0.2–0.6 mm in diameter (flora of Pakistan). Leaves are finely toothed and is round/oval shaped, arranged in whorled and opposite at the base. Leaves are light green colour underneath and shiny green on the upper surface and is 6-22x5-20mm in size (Flora of North; America eflora.org). Flowers are single with leafless stalk, white coloured with 5 spreading petals and 10 stamens. Stigma are usually lobbed (5 no) and appears in mid-summer (exact time period of field visits of the author). Fruit are spherical with erect capsules measuring 6-8mm cross, contains many tiny seeds which matures in late -summer (http://www.borealforest.org/herbs/herb25.htm). It grows in cool and moist woodland, preferably with deep mosses of mix-conifer forest 

                                                         Location map of the species

Flowering time: June to July

References

Flora of north America; (Accessed on June 5^th, 2015 at http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200016134)

Flora of China. Accessed on July 5^th, 2018 at: http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200016134)

Flora of Pakistan. Accessed on July 5^th, 2018 at: http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=200016134

Borealforest.org. Accessed on July 5, 2018 at: http://www.borealforest.org/herbs/herb25.htm

Wild Flowers. Accessed on July 5, 2018 at: https://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/White%20Enlarged%20Photo%20Pages/moneses%20uniflora.htm

Authors: Gyeltshen Dorji and Jigme Tshelthrim Wangyal, Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve, Haa
Suggested citation: Dorji, G. and Wangyal, J. T. (2020). FIRST REPORT ON THE OCCURRENCE OF MONESES UNIFLORA IN BHUTAN. https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4186552794921548147&useLegacyBlogger=true#editor/target=post;postID=7652056258630057142;onPublishedMenu=settings;onClosedMenu=settings;postNum=0;src=link