Page 130 - Health, Population and Environment Education 10

Rare Plants

Introduction to Rare Plants
There are many types of vegetations in Nepal. Some of the species among them are listed
under the rare plants of Nepal. Some of them are diseribed below.

i. Champ (Golden Michelia)
Scientific name: Michelia champaka
Description of the plant: It is a rare plant of Nepal. It is
of two types, big and small. It can grow upto the height
of 30 m. It is a strong plant with strong trunk and many
branches. Its stem is smooth with ash colour. It bears thick,
oily and green leaves and golden yellow flowers.

Habitat: It is found in terai and mid hill of Nepal at
latitudinal range of 600m - 1500m. It is protected in Bardiya
National Park. Fig: 18
Useful Parts: Its trunk is used for making furnitures. The bark is used for making
medicines. Similarly, its flowers are used to extract oil which is used for curing eye disease
and gout.

ii. Jatamasi (Spikenard)
Scientific name: Nardostachys grandiflora
Description of the plant: It is a small plant with sweet
scent. It is a perennial plant with pinkish white flowers.
Its leaves are divided into three heart-shaped parts. It
produces clusters of flowers at the terminal part of the
plant. The height of this plant is about of 0.6 m.
Habitat: It is found in the hilly region of Nepal in the
altitudinal range of 3000 m to 5000 m. It is protected in Fig: 19
Shey-Phoksundo National Park and Annapurna Conservation Area.
Useful parts: The roots of this plant are used to make oil that is used for curing cholera,
epilepsy and heart diseases. Jatamasi is also used for making ayurvelic medicines. The
dust of this plant is used for making incense.

iii. Sarpagandha (Serpentina)
Scientific name: Rauvolfia serpentina.
Description of Plant: It is an evergreen plant found in
the hilly and terai region of Nepal. It is a small plant of
about 1 m. height. Its stem is dry and white in colour. It
has long and wide leaves. It bears red and white flowers
in summer. It has bean-shaped fruits. It can reproduce
through stem and seeds. Fig: 20
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