Saussurea medusa (Asteraceae) is known to Tibetan herb collectors as Ganglha Metok [gangs lha me tog], meaning glacier or snow deity flower. It is an important medicinal in Rigpa Sowa (Tibetan Medicine) and Traditional Chinese Medicine. In TCM it is known as "xue lian", meaning snow lotus. It grows way high up in the mountains, up to 5200m, and overcollection is of great concern. © Daniel Winkler, August 2, 2007, 4100m, Litang County, Ganzi TAP, W-Sichuan.	Stellera chamaejasme, a herbacious relative of Daphne, has traditionally been used to make paper in Tibet. It is also used in veterinary medicine to purge livestock from worms and other intestinal parasites. © Daniel Winkler, June 19, 2006, 4300m, above Tashigang - Ri Chu Valley, Meldrogongkar County, Lhasa,  Tibet AR.
Rhubarb species from Litang. A variety of tall Rhubarb species (Rheum alexandrae, Rh. officinale, Rh. tanguticum, Rh. nobile) grow in Eastern Tibet. Their root is dug by locals and sold on markets. Its commonly used in Tibetan and traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM: Dahuang). © Daniel Winkler, August 2001, 3400m, Litang County, Ganzi TAP, W-Sichuan
Meconopsis integrifolia (Papaveraceae) below a Rhododendron from the 'nivale' group. Meconopsis, Himalayan poppy, is one of Tibet's most famous flowers and used as medicinal plant. © Daniel Winkler June 1999, 4300m, Litang County, Ganzi TAP, W-Sichuan	Meconopsis integrifolia, a truely high alpine Himalayan poppy. The hirsute (=hairy) of its leaves is an adaption to coldness. I have seen it several times standing out in freshly snow-covered slopes. © Daniel Winkler, Kongpo Barla, Medro-Gongkar, Lhasa Prefecture, Tibet AR, June 2006
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Meconopsis baileyi, the archetype of Himalayan poppy. © Daniel Winkler, Serkhyim La, Nyingchi County, Nyingchi Prefecture, Tibet AR, June 2006	Close-up of Meconopsis aff. horridula, known in Tibetan Medicine as 'Utpala' . This one was found in Gyalthang County, in Pinyin formerly known as Zhongdian and currently known as Sangila, Dechen/Deqen TAP, NW-Yunnan. © Daniel Winkler, July 27, 2001
Planting bed for the orchid Gastrodia elata, which is known in TCM as Tianma (Gastrodia elata). Tubers of this orchid are planted between cut stems derived from deciduous trees. Along the sides of this lay-out wood chips in porous plastic bags are added. Tianma is a saprophytic perennial that does not carry out photosynthesis, but is fed by fungi, which live off decaying wood. One kilogram of Gastrodia tubers sold for around 360 Yuan ($45) within China and for $80-$90$ in Asia in 2002. © Daniel Winkler, November 2001, Barkam County, Aba TAP, W-Sichuan	Coming across a lily in most Tibetan areas occurs much less frequent than one would expect. This can be explained by the fact that lily bulbs are used as remedies in TCM. Also, Tibetans and Chinese like to eat the bulbs. This lily is Lilium taliense.  © Daniel Winkler, 2800m, Zitsa Degu / Jiuzhaigou, W-Sichuan, July 1991.
Fritillaria cirrhosa (Liliaceae) is one of Tibet's most important medicinal plants. It's pea-sized white bulbs (see below) are sold dried for export down to China. In Tibetan it is known as "Pema (Padma)" and in Chinese as "Chuan Beimu".  Also, they are used as a speciality ingredient for Chinese yaojiu - medicinal schnapps. © Daniel Winkler June 1997, 4150m, Riwoqe County, Qamdo Prefecture, Tibet AR	Incarvillea mairei (Begoniaceae). Incarvillea species are found all over the Tibetan Plateau. In central and western Tibet they send a stemless flower and a few leaves out over the windswept ground. In the Southeastern Plateau region some Incarvillea species reach up to 1.5m. © Daniel Winkler, June 1999, 4100m, Litang County, Ganzi TAP, W-Sichuan

	Mick Rigdrol inspects freshly harvested Fritillaria (probably F. cirrhosa) bulbs. Digging Fritillaria is a very common source for generating a cash income in rural areas. Rigdrol put himself through school by digging Pema, as Tibetans know it. © Daniel Winkler, August 14, 2001,  Sertar County, Ganzi TAP, W-Sichuan  Fritillaria is used in Traditional Chinese and Traditional Tibetan Medicine. The demand for Fritillaria is driven by TCM, which knows it as Baimu.   Fritllaria is a good example of a NLGP, a non-livestock grassland product. I just had to coin that term, since NTFP, non-timber forest products do not cover fungi and plants growing in Tibet's vast grasslands.   Fritillaria out on the street for drying in Lithang Town © Daniel Winkler, August 3, 2007,  Lithang County, Ganzi TAP, W-Sichuan
	Medicinal plant storage room or rather the Tibetan Medicine pharmacy at Dzongsar Monastery in Derge. © Daniel Winkler, Aug. 19, 1998, Derge County, Ganzi TAP, W-Sichuan