From my early days in the Himalayas, the snow covered mountain summits always fascinated me. I observed the blanket of snow grow thick over the winter months and then the massive rock faces slowly exposed as the sun moved to the Northern Hemisphere. I wondered what happened at those heights when the snows melted. I was certain there would be fascinating plants there, unknown to the world. This belief took me to those staggering heights, to places too remote for most people, let alone researchers.
The heights above 15000 ft are a world of wonder, especially for floral enthusiasts, but working there presents huge challenges. The oxygen levels are low and the winds are strong. The lack of any basic facilities, the ever present fear of physical distress, and the difficulties of evacuation in a medical emergency have made very few venture to those heights. Even a visit to these heights is treacherous, not to mention the exploratory work there for months together.
As the snow melts by late May, a fascinating world of high altitude plants springs to life. Many of these floral wonders have never been studied or photo documented in any detail. For the last six years, I have spent an average of six months a year in the mountains above 4500m, studying and documenting this diversity of plants.
This book, Hidden Treasures: Rare Plants Of The Alpine Himalaya, showcases a collection of 100 rare to very rare alpine plants, including 14 new reports for India, all found above 15000 ft in the eastern Himalayas – Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh. Imaging technology has made collection redundant, thus not a single specimen was collected or damaged during the course of this study.
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