11 April 2016

I is for Iris lactea

Welcome! 
I am writing about herbs in the 2016 April AtoZ blogging challenge. Most of the herbs written in this series are those I have seen or used. Most of them are not very tall either, and flowers are often only the size of a finger nail or smaller. For today's, post I have two herbs one from the northern most part of India and one from the Western Ghats. 

I have chosen the Milky Iris or Iris lactea as my first I herb. It has very pretty white and purple blossoms and commonly grows in the Ladakh and Kashmir in India. The local name is Temamentok and it is a Native. The flower reminded me of the Iris and we were lucky to spot the blooms in the month of May. Hence identifying the plant was comparatively easy as I searched among 'Iris' on the Flowers of India website. Milky Iris belongs to the Iridaceae family 


Himalayan flowers, Ladakh, Iris lacteata

Yet another beautiful I herb is Impatiens dalzellii all called Dalzell's Yellow Balsam. Again a native plant that is endemic to the Western Ghats. Its lance shaped leaves are striking as they have spines in between the teeth of the margin. It belongs to the Balsaminaceae family.


herb, AtoZ, Impatiens dalzellii, Kaas

I am sure you would have loved these blossoms. 
Which plants have you noticed in your travels?
Do tell us!
:)

22 comments:

Ann Bennett said...

It is spring here so it is a pageant of flowers blooming. Presently, there are violets, wild gardinias, dandelions, some tall blue flowers which I don't know the name.

Those are very pretty wildflowers you have pictured.

Seena said...

Such little beauties. :)
Good luck for this week!

Cheers
Seena
#AtoZChallenge- I is for Immunizations

Archana said...

@Ann - I guess spring is the best time of the year.. so many flowers, colours inspires new hope, new motivation!! Have a great day!

Archana said...

Thank you Seena. :)

Kala Ravi said...

Pretty ones, these are! The yellow blossoms I think I have seen. Thanks again for the knowledge you share.
@KalaRavi16 from
Relax-N-Rave

Archana said...

That's great Kala! Have a wonderful day ! :)

Penelope Potty Snooper said...

I have never been to Ladakh so haven't seen the Iris but have seen plenty of the Balsams growing wild on the Sahyadei hill sides

Trisha Faye said...

Iris! My very favorite flower!
It's springtime here in Texas and my iris are blooming like crazy right now.
Have a wonderful day!
Trisha Faye www.herbthyme.wordpress.com

Karan said...

such beautiful ones these are :)

durba said...

So pretty! Thank you for bringing us these flowers and reminding us again about the things around that we need to be grateful for :)

baili said...

wow really interesting post ,have a blessed days ahead

Hill station Reader said...

Beauty in little flowers.
One need great eyes to capture this all.


@dixita011 from
Cafenined words

Bish Denham said...

Both of these are new to me, but then, I'm not familiar with herbs half a world away! They're lovely. I'm a visiting minion with the Joyful Brigade! Nice to visit with you.

Archana said...

@bellybytes- Yes plenty of balsams on Sahyadri slopes. So happy that you could stop by!

Archana said...

@Trisha! It must be lovely out there! Enjoy the colours and fragrances!!

Archana said...

@Karan. Happy that you liked the flowers. Have a good day :)

Archana said...

@durba- Thank you for your kind words :)

Archana said...

@baili - thanks for stopping by :)

Archana said...

@Dixita mour - the flowers and leaves actually demand attention.. we are mostly too busy to look. One glance is all that is required. Thank you!

Archana said...

@Bish, its my honour that you could stop by! Cheers :)

My Era said...

While I have seen the Iris's the second herb was new to me.
This series of yours is rather fun and exciting for the readers like me because I get an opportunity to dive in my memories and search for the plants you talk about :)

@theerailivedin from The Era I Lived In

Alana said...

We have a wild impatiens where I live in upstate New York but it wouldn't be flowering until August. We call it "jewelweed" and it is said to be a natural antidote for a poisonous plant called poison ivy.