Wildflower of the valley
Himalayan Rhubarb
Rheum webbianum
- How easy to find
- Easy to see — you will see it easily on the trail
- Flower size
- Large
- Family
- Polygonaceae (Knotweed family)
- Local name
- Lachoo, Pambhak
- Type
- Herb
- Height
- large
- Altitude
- 3200–4500 m
- Flower colour
- yellow,green
- Flowering
- June to July
About Himalayan Rhubarb
Rheum webbianum is an erect robust herb with stout stem of height varying from 50 cm to 2 m. Roots are stock thick and woody. Leaves are circular in outline and reniform cordate at base. Flowers are yellowish white and in terminal and axillary. The specific name is named after Philip Barker Webb as he was the first person to collect plants in Tetuan Mountains of Morocco.
Where to find it
- In the middle of the valley
- In the deeper parts of the valley
Habitat
Very common in Shruberries, meadows and mountain slopes.
Uses & folklore
Roots are used in the treatment of abdominal disorders, constipation and wounds. Leaves are used as appetizer and in making chutney.
What the name means
Rheum is from the Greek rha, an old name for rhubarb, itself said to derive from the river Volga (Rha) where it once grew; webbianum honours Philip Barker Webb, a 19th-century English botanist.
