Description
The name meleagrina (as in Fritillaria meleagris) refers to the chequering of the flowers.
Regarded as the most northerly of the Nomocharis, this grows in the wild from N. W. Yunnan into southern Tibet. The plant we offer has petals which appear to be broader than long, which places it closer to Nomocharis pardanthina; however the edges of the inner petals are much less frilled than might be expected, which in turn moves it back more to Nomocharis meleagrina. It seems to simply be a variable species, within its limits.
The flowers are very pale pink to virtually white, heavily spotted, chequered and blotched in red-pink or red-purple with the edges of the petals frilled and daintily cut, over narrow whorled leaves. The main characteristic is the irregular, heavy, purplish blotching all over the otherwise pale petals.
Material first found in Sichuan, above Xichang at 3,200 m – 3,500 m (in an area where Nomocharis mairei is also known to occur)!
