Wildflowers of Mount Everest

Vegetation Ecologist Elizabeth Byers, the Flora of Nepal Project, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (Nepal), and High Country Apps have partnered to produce the new WILDFLOWERS OF MOUNT EVEREST plant identification app for mobile devices. The app presents over 550 wildflowers, shrubs, and trees likely to be seen along the trails in Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal. More than 2500 beautifully detailed images illustrate the species descriptions, along with bloom period, elevation range, local names, and plant lore. Most of the species can also be seen in the adjacent Makalu-Barun National Park and the upper elevations of the Gauri Shankar Conservation Area, and many are found throughout Nepal at higher elevations. The app does not need an Internet connection to run, so you can use it no matter how remote your wanderings take you.

Though primarily designed for amateur enthusiasts, the breadth of content also includes technical descriptions, scientific name synonymy, and references, making it appealing to more experienced botanists. Users can browse the species list by plant name or plant family to locate a species and access the related information. However, most users will want to rely on the easy-to-use search key to accurately identify plants of interest. Save your favorites to a personalized list and email it to yourself or your friends.

The key's interface is broken down into eleven simple categories: growth form (e.g., wildflower, shrub, vine), flower color, number of petals, flower type, elevation zone, habitat, leaf arrangement, leaf margin, leaf type, plant height, and flowering month. Select choices in as many or as few categories as you wish. As you do so, the number of species found is displayed at the top of the page. Once done selecting, the click of a button returns a list of thumbnail images and names for potential matches. Users scroll among the species on the list and tap a thumbnail image to access additional photos, descriptions, plant facts and lore.

WILDFLOWERS OF MOUNT EVEREST includes supporting documents with information on the natural history of the Mount Everest region, descriptions of wildflower seasons and best times to visit, insights into how the climate influences the plant communities found here, a map of Sagarmatha National Park as well as detailed instructions on how to use the app. Users