Neelakurinji, the flower of the blue mountains
Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana) is a shrub that used to grow
abundantly in the shola grasslands of Western Ghats in India. The Nilgiris, which
literally means the blue mountains, got its name from the purplish blue
flowers of Neelakurinji that blossoms gregariously once in 12 years.
Once they used to cover the entire Nilgiris like a carpet during its
flowering season. However, now plantations and dwellings occupy much of
their habitat.
Neelakurinji is the best known of a genus that has flowering cycles
ranging from one to 16 years. There has been record of its flowering
every 12 years since 1826. The next flowering is expected to place in
September 2006. Stray flowerings do occur in between. What triggers the
massive flowering every 12 years is not known.
Neelakurinji
belongs to the family of Acanthaceae. The genus has more than 500
species, of which about 50 occur in India. Besides the Western
Ghats, Neelakurinji is seen in the Shevroys in the
Eastern Ghats. It occurs at an altitude of 1300 to 2400 metres.
Flowering takes places between April and December, peaking towards September.
Note: Neelakurinji has been referred in the past by names such as
Nilgrianthes kunthianus and Phlebophyllum kunthianum. For more on
kurinji, visit Kurinji.in