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Nepalese Paper Bush
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Nepalese Paper Bush
ative Photo: Thingnam Girija
Common name: Indian Paper Tree, Nepali Paper Bush • Nepalese: अर्गली Argali
Botanical name: Edgeworthia gardneri    Family: Thymelaeaceae (Daphne family)
Synonyms: Daphne gardneri

Nepali Paper Bush is a small tree, up to 3-4 m tall, with brownish red stem. Leaves are narrowly elliptic to elliptic-lanceshaped, 6-10 cm long, 2.5-3.4 cm wide, on 4-8 mm long stalks. Both surfaces are velvety, with a wedge-shaped based and a pointed tip - lateral veins are 8 or 9 pairs. Flowers are borne in round clusters in leaf axils and at the end of branches. The clusters are 3.5-4 cm in diameter, with numerous flowers. The clusters are carried on pendulous stalks 2-2.5 cm. Sepal tube is 1.5 cm long, densely white velvety on the outside, with 4 lobes, yellow inside. Drupe is ovoid, densely velvety. Nepali Paper Bush is found in forests and moist places in the Himalayas, from Uttarakhand to NE India, at altitudes of 1000-2500 m. A high-class paper is made from the bark. The bark fibres are used. This species is said to be the best of the various species that are used to make hand made paper in the Himalayas. The stems are extremely supple and can be tied in knots. Flowering: November-April.

Identification credit: Nongthombam Ullysess Photographed in Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary, Sikkim.

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