Meconopsis aculeata is a blue-flowered thorny species of the genus Meconopsis with a small geographical distribution restricted to specific areas of Pakistan and India, in the west Himalayas. The species was described from specimens collected here, by Royle in 1833. It is also known as Bhoti 'Tsersnon' in Ladakh. Along with Juniperus polycarpos (also known as Bhoti 'Shukpa'), it is used in the Sowa-Rigpa (also known as Amchi system) traditional medicine system. Both have been proposed as the state flower and state tree respectively by the Ladakh administration.

Meconopsis aculeata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Ranunculales
Family: Papaveraceae
Genus: Meconopsis
Species:
M. aculeata
Binomial name
Meconopsis aculeata

The species is highly valued as a medicinal plant,[1] and the resulting demand for the plant as medicine has placed pressure on wild populations due to over-collection.

References

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  1. ^ "Meconopsis aculeata PFAF Plant Database". pfaf.org.
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