Question

When did flowering occur the last time in Strobilanthus kunthiana?

Answer 1

Hint: Strobilanthus kunthiana is a flowering plant. It is basically a shrub. It is found in the Nilgiri range of the Western ghats. The word Nilgiri is a hindi word. It is made up of two words, neel meaning blue, and giri meaning mountain. The nilgiri is called so because when Strobilanthus kunthiana flowers, then the whole range appears blue.

Complete answer: Strobilanthus kunthiana is commonly known as Neelakurinji. It is found in the Shola forests of the Nilgiri range of the Western ghats. Neelakurinji is famous because it blossoms only once in every twelve years. The last documented blossoming of the Neelakurinji occurred in the year 2018 in the month of September. The Neelakurinji grows in the Nilgiri hills at heights of 1300-2400 meters. The plant is capable of growing to a height of 30-60 centimeters. The plant belongs to the genus of Strobilanthus. This genus has two hundred and fifty species out of which forty-six are found only in India. The Neelakurinji although found in the Western ghats has also been seen in the eastern ghats in the Shevaroys. That’s why it is said that it is found in the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. These flowers convert the vast stretches of the mountain range to blue. Given the variety of the shrub, the Kurinjimala sanctuary protects the Neelakurinji shrub in the Idukki district of Kerala.

Note: The recovery phase of the Neelakurinji plant is twelve years. The recovery phase refers to the period of time between two successive flowerings. The recovery phase of the Neelakurinji plant is very long.