Uttarakhand – Brahma Kamal
Common Name: King of Himalayan Flowers
Local Name: Brahma Kamal (Hindi)
Scientific Name: Saussurea obvallata
Description: a little perennial herb with a maximum height of 60 cm. The stems are often reddish brown or purplish, and they are erect, measuring 15–45 cm in length. Large, papery, boat-shaped bracts with a pale yellow tint cover the entire flower head. Although they are visible until mid-October, the flowers bloom in July and August before the plant dies. The only flower that blooms after sunset that we know of is the Brahma Kamal, which takes two hours to reach a diameter of nearly eight inches.
Applications: Brahma Kamal is used to cure a wide range of illnesses. Because of its bitterness, the flower is used as an appetizer and liver tonic. The plant is also used as a cure for liver inflammations, to increase blood volume in the body, to treat urinary tract disorders, etc.