Calls to Declare Nilgiri Lily ‘District Flower’ to assist in conservation efforts

With the endemic nilgiri lily (Lilium wallichianum Var. neilgherrense) In bloom throughout its restricted geographical panorama within the western ghats, ecologists and botanists have highlighted the speech ‘Gradual Decline Over the Final Few Deccades and Known as on the Authorities Torce Declare it because the nilgiris ‘District Flower’ to Help in Its Conservation.

In his e-book, The toda panorama: explorers in cultural ecologyTarun Chhabra, an knowledgeable on the indigenous todas of the nilgiris, states: “DURING The Closing Part of the Monsoon, In Late August, No Plant is extra seen and Atractive than the spectacular nilgari lilly (Lilium neilgherrenseThe Todas Name This Lily pehnapoofPresumably resulting from its habitat, which it shares with the pehn or prehistoric stone circles of the higher nilgiris. One other which means for pehnapoof IS “Golden Flower”. Its flowering signifies the approaching finish of the south-westly monsoon season. “

Dr. Chhabra States that No Correct Standing Surveys have been carried out on the nilgiri lily, which is endemic to solely the Nilgiris and the Palani Hills. Because it flowers just for about three weeks on a much less distant hilltops, most native persons are unaware of its very existence, he provides.

Dr. Chhabra tends to the nilgiri lily in bloom at his residence in Udhagamandalam. , Picture Credit score: M. Sathyamoorthy

Shiny Mariam Rehel, Senior Program Co-Ordinator with the Keystone Basis, Informed The Hindu That she had noticed that lilies, seen solely amongst high-elevation grasslands and rocky outcrops within the nilgiris, was in decline even in alas the place they had been they had been chen extra Generally during the last. “There’s an immediative Necessity to ConduC Rehel.

Ecologists beLieve cattle grazing, local weather change, and the unfold of invasive speech a substantial menace to the nilgiri lily, with their inhabitants beLieved to be on a system.

Dr. Chhabra Believes The Species to Be “Weak.”

“The Nilgiri Lily As soon as Occurred Plantily on the Rocky Hilltops within the higher nilgiris- at each mid- and high-elements” particularly round udhagamandalam city, The HinduWith the assistance of toda elders and its affiliation with the ultimate part of the south-west monsoon, it was re-found elsewhere within the nilgiris, from Bikkapathy Mund to Parson’s Valley.

“Nonetheless, these are all remnant populations of a as soon as ubiquitous plant that the British collected and planted of their gardens … it seems to me that frost is a requisite for it for it to blo typically discover that an entreen hilltop now has simply a few blooms, and infrequently the numerous crops current will not be circulation circulation circulation flowers on finish, there seems to be some reference to work Winters (Resulting in Diminished Blooming), “stated Dr. Chhabra.

As manipur has declared the shirui lily to be its state flower, Dr. Chhabra believes declaring the nilgiri lily to be the ‘District Flower’ Can Deliver About Consciousness to the Species that may assist in its conservation.