18. Bud Watching!

Here’s a cryptic clue for you – waiting in anticipation of what sounds avian but is floral (3  8).

Well you cannot guess this one because I just concocted this term – “Bud Watching”. 

My cousins have grown this plant called ‘Brahma Kamal’ (botanical name epiphyllum oxypetallum). The hype is because it blooms only in the dead of night when the entire world sleeps – well not us! We have been monitoring the buds at every stage. Initially the huge buds, of this night blooming orchid cactus, hang straight down from the plant. After about a week or so, Dada (elder brother in Bengali) calls up to say they are ‘raising their trunks’ (‘soond tulchhe’), with an obvious reference to Ganesha, the elephant headed God.

buds of the epiphyllum oxypetallum

The Brahma Kamal has religious and mythological significance to the Hindus, because the name Brahma, The Creator (part of the Hindu Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh) is added to this flower’s name. Brahma incidentally is shown sitting on a pink lotus, ‘Kamal’ in Sanskrit (botanical name Nelumbo nucifera). Another plant growing on the Himalayas which is said to bloom once a year, (botanical name Saussurea obvallata) is also called ‘Brahma Kamal’. When we had gone to Badrinath a man was carrying a basket of them to sell to the devotees at the Temple.

Saussurea obvallata (Badrinath)

So coming back to Bud Watching as a hobby, I have been going back and forth from my cousin’s house keeping tabs on the progress made by the buds.

Well they bloomed tonight while it was raining and I could not go to take the pics! The last four pics I am posting below are by my cousin.

Don't you think it was worth all the excitement!

Its been over 3 months since I put up this post and in the interim the plant has had many blooms. Yesterday I saw the plant fruiting. Here is a picture of its fruit which is as striking as the flowers.

Some Facts :

  

• Brahma Kamal  (botanical name Saussurea obvallata) is the State Flower of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

• It blooms once a year.

• It is found at an altitude of around 4500m.

• The flowers contain both the male and the female parts (hermaphrodite) and are pollinated by insects. 
• Some people mistakenly call the epiphyllum oxypetallum the Star of Bethlehem perhaps because of the star shaped female organ of the flower in the centre and the shape of the flower giving the impression of a crib.

(if you are looking for bird-watchingCLICK HERE)