Rapid Fire
Sikkim Sundari
- 27 Jan 2026
- 2 min read
Sikkim Sundari (Rheum nobile), a rare high-altitude Himalayan plant, has drawn attention for its unique biology and striking appearance.
Sikkim Sundari
- About: Rheum nobile, commonly known as padamchal, or Sikkim Sundari, is a giant herbaceous perennial plant native to the high-altitude alpine zones of the Himalayas (4,000–4,800 meters).
- Belongs to the Polygonaceae family and is found in North Sikkim (trekking routes near alpine passes and glacial valleys), Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, and Myanmar. Typically grows on open alpine slopes, rock ledges, glacial valleys, and tundra-like environments.
- Distinctive Morphology: Its tall, translucent bracts form a natural glasshouse that traps heat, protects the flowers from freezing winds and intense UV radiation, and gives the plant a luminous, tower-like appearance against the Himalayan landscape.
- Remarkable Life Cycle: A monocarpic plant (one that flowers only once in its lifetime), it spends 7–30 years as a low rosette storing energy before a single dramatic bloom into a tall pagoda-like spike, after which it sets seed and dies.
- Cultural & Medicinal Use: Stems are locally consumed for their acidic flavor (chuka), and it has traditional medicinal applications in Himalayan and Tibetan medicine.
| Read More: Indian Himalayan Region |
