tagong grassland

Tagong, a corner of Kangding grassland in Sichuan, means "the place that bodhisattva likes" in Tibetan. A street, two rows of houses and a temple are wrapped in a vast grassland. Such a small village is often overlooked on the map. However, whenever flowers bloom in summer, there will always be tourists from all over the world and people who yearn for wild flowers, photography or being close to nature, pouring into narrow streets and then flowing between vast grasslands. What they brought back to the city from Tagong was not only a unique Tibetan street view, but also stories and legends about flowers scattered on the green grassland and various dazzling colors.

Pure white: lambs are full of flowers on the hillside.

Tagong Tibetans love flowers and plants. In our grandmother's house, a row of flowers was planted on the windowsill. Looking through the window, carved windows, flowers, prayer flags and the gilded roof of Tagong Temple are the most famous selling points to attract foreigners here. Drinking butter tea, we picked up the camera and showed the old lady the photos of flowers and plants taken on the grassland. The old lady watched and kept talking in Tibetan that we didn't understand. Suddenly, a Chinese pronunciation appeared in Tibetan vocabulary, and the picture in the camera must be on a white short stick plant. "Lamb flower." The old lady said in Chinese, "This is the lamb flower."

The name "sheepskin flower" has long been heard: according to legend, the placenta left by a ewe after giving birth to a lamb fell into the grass, so it became a flower as white as wool, which Tibetans called sheepskin flower. It seems that this statement is more popular in Tibetan areas in the western plateau, but there are different opinions on which plant the lamb flower points to.

The white plant called lamb flower by the old lady is Polygonum rotundifolia, which is one of the common species on the grassland. Just take out a photo of the grassland in western Sichuan and look around. The swaying white is Polygonum rotundifolia scattered among the green grass. Once upon a time, when I took pictures, I only paid attention to the circular texture of flowers, but never thought about their references. After listening to the old lady's words, I suddenly felt that a group of short white sticks, like the little tail of a lamb, were round and fat and stood up from the green grass, which was really cute.

However, it wasn't long before the conclusion that "Bauhinia is Polygonum viviparum" was overturned ―― the photo continued, and the old lady pointed to another plant and told us that it was also Bauhinia. In fact, the deviation is not big. Another plant called lamb flower is Polygonum viviparum, a close relative of Polygonum viviparum. Even close relatives, even common species on grasslands, still look different. The flowers of Polygonum viviparum are not as dense as those of Polygonum bulbosum, and the short rod-shaped inflorescence is longer, and the color of the flowers is pink and white.

According to the viewpoint of plant classification, Polygonum viviparum and Polygonum viviparum belong to Polygonaceae. Polygonaceae plants, whether they are called "lamb flowers" or not, are good food for lambs-Polygonaceae plants are mostly excellent pastures in plateau, which are widely distributed, nutritious and delicious. It is said that Polygonum cuspidatum can be used not only as food for sheep but also for human consumption. "You can eat, but it's not delicious. Tibetans don't like it. " Tashi, a sturdy Tibetan boy from Tagong, commented on Liao, "You can't eat well only in times of famine." Later, we found that Tibetans were forced to eat Polygonum cuspidatum for a living only in famine years, so over time, "eating Polygonum cuspidatum" and "famine" were given some connection. Today's children don't know that Polygonum hydropiper with flowers like sheep's tail can actually be eaten in the mouth.

Of course, the conclusion that bauhinia is a Polygonaceae plant did not last long. On a trip with Tashi, a group of white plants by the water were also called lamb flowers by Tashi. The flowers of those plants look a bit like green onions, and their names are also appropriately called "Juncus". They are common species in Tagong grassland, but have nothing to do with Polygonaceae. "Isn't Polygonaceae called lamb flower?" So ask Tashi, Tashi revealed the secret with a smile:

"Many flowers are called lamb flowers!"

Listening to Tashi's explanation, they seem to call all the white flowers on the grass lamb flowers, just as the so-called "Gesanghua" refers to the bright flowers on the grass. God, before I went to Tibetan areas, I always thought that sheepskin flowers should look like lambs. Then I thought of the magnolia in full bloom in spring. Did Tibetan friends exclaim that the lamb was on the tree when they saw magnolia? After listening to Yulan's excuse, Tashi suddenly became shy and said Yulan didn't.

Yes, but there are many white flowers on the grass. From a distance, they are like lambs hidden in the grass. White flowers are like lambs hidden in the grass. This explanation sounds good. Perhaps for Tibetans on the grassland, mutton is wealth, so it has been passed down from generation to generation, and the white flower is called lamb flower, which has good wishes.

Purple: The Legend of Long Nose

On the green grass, the most striking flowers are always purple. Not only humans have this feeling, but also animals that pollinate flowers have this feeling.

Of all the plants waiting for pollination, orchids have to be mentioned. Many kinds of wild orchids are not as fragrant as Chunlan in the flower market, nor as ostentatious as Ceylon. The orchids we met in Tagong are small and exquisite, the plant height is only a dozen centimeters, and the flowers are only the size of fingernails, but if you look closely, they are quite exquisite structures.

In order to attract pollinators, orchids have to resort to deception, just like the widely spread red orchids we see on wet grass slopes. Petals look more or less like a bug, with a stomach and legs. Some spots are used to confuse the truth with pink and tender colors, so we don't have to worry about the guy who didn't pollinate them. Many kinds of orchids do not contain nectar, so attracting insects depends entirely on imitating petals. I wonder which insect will be the next one to be deceived by orchids and return empty-handed on impulse?

The most orchids on the wetland grassland are not barnyard grass-pink flowers are arranged in a spiral, just like a ribbon, hence the name. Barnyard grass is a widely distributed species, which can be seen in many provinces and regions, but it is too common in Tagong. Similar to swamp and wet grassland, you can find one or two barnyard grass in less than five steps. We were lying on the wet grass taking pictures, and two tourists on horseback passed by. When they saw us, they exclaimed: Look, look, how did they find these strange flowers? In fact, as long as you bend down, you can find it casually. The problem is that tourists riding horses can only enjoy the magnificent scenes, endless grasslands and towering snow-capped mountains, while ignoring the little things beside the horseshoes.

However, the strangest safflower in Tagong grassland is not an orchid, but a guy named BiuBiu. These guys are called Pedicularis, belonging to Scrophulariaceae. There are hundreds of species in China, which is a big family. Some kinds of flowers have unique "long noses", which are called "beaks" in botany ―― unfortunately, we are just fooled by these long noses.

Once I went out with Tashi, I met a kind of Pedicularis, Pedicularis tubulosa, which was purple and long in clusters. In addition to the curved "long nose", there is a long tube under the flower. "Do you know why this flower is called BiuBiu?" Tashi picked a flower with a strange shape and showed it to us: he put the long tube of the flower in his mouth, his cheeks swelled, his eyes were wide open, he blew it with all his strength, and the tube made a "Biu~ ~" sound, which was stuffy and uncomfortable to listen to.

"Did you hear that?" Tashi asked, watching us nod, and went on telling the story: "When I was a child, my grandmother told me not to blow BiuBiu, or it would rain. When I was a child, I was naughty and my grandmother hung up her clothes. I went to BiuBiu to blow, and it rained after blowing, and my clothes were not dry. " Can these flowers with elephant trunks still pray for rain? Looking around, there are no clouds in Wan Li on a sunny day. We just regard BiuBiu as one of many legends told by Tibetans. Just say it and listen.

However, an hour later, sure enough, the wind came, the rain came, and a large cloud crossed the ridge and covered the sun. Wind, rain, small hail and a real thunderstorm forced us to give up the plan to continue taking pictures and flee back in confusion. In the face of Tashi's gloating smile, we were speechless. Can Pedicularis really pray for rain?

I went back to the station, trimmed it and watched the shower dissipate. It was already four o'clock in the afternoon when I went out again. Who knows that just after a dozen shots, another dark cloud came, and then it continued to rain without any suspense. "Your BiuBiu is so powerful that it chases you when it rains!" Discuss with Tashi about praying for rain in the evening. Tashi continued to tell us with a gleeful smile that not all Tibetan areas have legends about BiuBiu. His hometown is in Qinghai. As for Tagong, not many people know that BiuBiu can pray for rain.

Later, I saw a lot of purplish Pedicularis, some with long noses, some with short noses, some with hairy noses, some sticking to the ground, some tall and straight, some with long pipes, some with helmets, and of course white and yellow BiuBiu, but we all stayed away from them just in case. It still often rains in the afternoon. According to Tashi, there are always naughty children blowing BiuBiu, and we finally guessed the truth-it is rainy in summer in the western Sichuan Plateau, especially the showers brought by convection often fall in the afternoon, which has nothing to do with blowing BiuBiu.

Tell Tashi the conclusion between BiuBiu and Rain. Tashi still smiled and said, "BiuBiu just bloomed this month. If you want to try praying for rain, hurry up. " This is an undecided conclusion, with some mythical colors in Tibetan legends, but in any case, Pedicularis with a long nose and Pedicularis chasing a shower are different experiences that really exist in our flower-seeking journey.

Huang Ming: Water? Grass? Stoneboog

Tagong, at an altitude of 4000 meters, feels a little anoxic when he first arrived, and the strong sunshine is also very real. Between the sticky feeling of sunscreen and the explosive feeling of skin, it seems that either choice is a bit helpless. However, for Tibetans here, the sunshine is so warm and peaceful. The old lady who cooks butter tea for us every morning will open the iron gate downstairs when the street is sunny, turn on the tape recorder to play Buddhist scriptures, and then sit at the door and enjoy the warmth of the sunshine. When we asked the old lady what color of wild flowers she liked best in the chat, she naturally chose bright yellow.

In addition to grasslands, wetlands around streams, dry land near hills and small forests on hillsides, yellow flowers can be found wherever the sun shines. For example, flowers by the water, buttercup on the plateau, Saxifraga on the stone slope, and lily of the valley under the nymphs.

Potentilla anserina is widely distributed in China, with small yellow flowers, five petals and pinnately compound leaves. Often, when wetlands are destroyed and restored, goose down is a pioneer species.

Stellera chamaejasme on the grassland is a symbol of grassland degradation. The whole plant is poisonous, and in some places it is even called "Clerodendrum", which is not eaten by livestock. Fortunately, in Tagong grassland, it is rare to see wolf poison, but around an open field where horse racing is popular, it is the best place to shoot wolf poison.

As far as the vast grassland is concerned, as long as human activities are not unrestrained, its influence is limited. The main reason for the different distribution of plants is the different environment-for example, the low hills between grasslands are rocky and dusty, far from being covered with dense vegetation like grasslands, and the plants on them are also very special. I pointed to a plant that blooms like an umbrella and asked Tashi what it was called in Tibetan. Tashi shrugged and didn't know. "In Chinese, this is called Bupleurum DC, which is a kind of heat-clearing medicine, Bupleurum DC." Explain Bupleurum, I asked Tashi what they eat to reduce fever when they have a fever. That is to say, what are the antipyretics commonly used by Tibetan doctors? Tashi thought it over and told me, "Aspirin."

However, whether in wetlands, grasslands or grasslands, the most common yellow flowers in Tagong still belong to small Huang Ju and total yellow flowers in western Sichuan. The former is golden yellow and the latter is bright yellow. We often take pictures around the yellow flowers and plants, because the bright yellow petals can have a psychedelic light and shadow effect under the sunlight.

Orchid: the family of flowers

Legend has it that the higher the altitude, the closer it is to the sky; The closer to the sky, the more the color of flowers and plants prefers the blue of the sky. Of course, scientists usually like to brag about people's romantic ideas. They will tell us that ultraviolet radiation is strong at high altitude, so the flowers there are mostly blue and purple, which can better reflect ultraviolet rays. But in any case, looking for those blue-purple flowers at the foot of the snow-capped mountains is the favorite thing for plateau flower seekers.

Although Tagong also has species with blue flowers, such as delphinium and Scutellaria baicalensis, if the group with the most blue-purple flowers on the plateau is of course plants of Campanulaceae and Dracaenidae. It is not an exaggeration to say that these two plants belong to a family of blue-purple flowers in Plateau. After all, plants of Campanulaceae and Draconidae can account for more than 70% of the blue-purple flowers we see in our travels.

Among the plants of Campanulaceae seen by Ta Gong, Codonopsis pilosula, Adenophora adenophora and Adenophora Ganzi are all endemic to China. Tashi is always skeptical about the blue floret carrying Ganzi Adenophora like a bell. Is it true that the flowers that can often be seen on the grass, such as the giant panda, are not found in other countries except China? In fact, there are many plants unique to China in western Sichuan, such as Adenophora adenophora in Ganzi, and plants named after related places, such as Kangding, Dongeluo and Dajian Deer, which are all unique plant resources in western Sichuan. "You fight for it and find a new kind of grass called Tagong grass." Tashi's joke is not an impossible task for botanists. After all, the flowers and plants in Tagong grassland still need further study.

As for Gentianaceae, it is known as one of the three major flowers in the plateau, and Tagong grassland can be seen everywhere. Almost if you look down, there will always be Gentianaceae in the blue area. The most common gentian here is blue gentian. As the name implies, the corolla is white inside and blue outside, with dark blue spots on it. Look carefully, just like an attractive skirt, gorgeous and unobtrusive. When taking pictures of Gentiana, because the light was too strong, we decided to block the sunlight with shadows, so we blocked the light, took pictures, focused on it, and then … these trumpet-shaped flowers went out one after another after everything was ready! Without sunshine, I'm afraid they will think that night is coming, so they will collect the flowers and get ready for bed. It takes three to five minutes from blocking the light to turning off the flowers. These guys are really sensitive! When we removed the shadow, the sun appeared again. In a few minutes, the flowers bloom again, and the blue corners are facing the sky, as if the flower closing incident had never happened. ...

There are various types of Gentiana macrophylla, from small to 3 mm high fake ball root Gentiana macrophylla to 30 cm high head Gentiana macrophylla. In addition, many plants, such as Phyllanthus urinaria, Platycladus orientalis and Astragalus japonicus, also belong to Gentianaceae. Once upon a time, when we saw blue flowers in the distance, we would exclaim "What about Gentianaceae", which made Tashi think that we only knew Gentianaceae plants.

Climb the Yamushan Snow Line once, starting at an altitude of 3,700 meters and climbing to 4,500 meters. Tashi, who is mixed on the plateau, is as relaxed as a cucumber, and I have lived in a low altitude area for a long time, so it is inevitable that I have difficulty breathing and walking. Some fresh species can be found at an altitude of about 4000 meters. I often stop to take two photos as a rest and adjustment. I still don't think the road is long. I walked up gradually, and my steps became heavier and heavier. There are no exciting flowers and plants in front of Yamu Mountain, so climbing the mountain has become a painful thing. "Go on, it's not far away. There is a lake in front, and there is a particularly beautiful flower on the lake, blue. " It was once suspected that Tashi was lying to us, because the so-called "not far" was his rhetoric an hour ago, and the phrase "climb the mountain bag in front" was heard no less than five times. Finally, I arrived at the lake that Tashi said. I threw my whole body into the grass, looked at the white clouds reflected in the water, tried to take a deep breath, and failed, only to find that the so-called "particularly beautiful blue core" was a flat column. Look at that blue flower, "Tashi leaned in." It belongs to Gentianaceae. " I gasped and glanced at him. This guy learns quickly. When he saw the blue flower, he said it was gentian. However, this thing really belongs to Gentianaceae.

I saw so many wild flowers in Tagong, why do I have to pick out white, red, yellow and blue? I don't know, maybe it's because these four colors are my breakfast at my old lady's house. White is Baba, red is dried meat and yellow is buttered tea. What about blue? The gown worn by the old lady is blue. ...

(Editor Dou Lihong)