Authors
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim
Image of Tibet’s unique ‘Pagoda Flower’ or the Mahameru flower that blooms once every 400 years in the Himalayas
Fact-check/Verification
To verify the claim, Newschecker conducted a reverse image search of the image in the viral post and found that the flower in the viral image was not the Pagoda flower, but instead the Rheum Nobile. An online catalogue on the flowers and foliage in India revealed that it is one of the largest plant species in the Himalayas and grows in mountain ranges of Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan and Tibet at altitudes of up to 4000 m.
The plant can grow up to 2 meters in height and is also known as Sikkim Rhubarb or Noble Rhubarb and blooms annually in June and July.
Further, the Alpine Garden Society of China posted the same image as seen in the viral post in 2011 on its Instagram page.
On further research, we found a Facebook post by a user who identified it as a photograph by one Martin Walsh.
Newschecker found the same information published in US based fact checking website Snopes.com.
We also checked the said newsletter by the Alpine Garden Society and found the image featured on their newsletter with credit to one Martin Walsh.
“The scenically stunning Da Xue Shan (Big Snow Mountain) proved to be an absolute treasure house of gorgeous plants including meconopsis, lilies, fritillaries, incarvilleas, pedicularis, primulas, corydalis and others. The most imposing was the amazing rhubarb, Rheum nobile (see front cover) dwarfing its cousin, R. delavayi which stands at a mere 15cm. Among the corydalis, C. benecinta was outstanding and Martin‟s lovely photo of Primula dryadifolia (see p.5) makes us wish we could grow it,” the newsletter read.
Conclusion
The viral post that claims to show the photograph of the Mahameru flower which blooms once in 400 years in the Himalayas is incorrect. The image shows a Sikkim Rhubarb and not the ‘pagoda flower’.
Result: Fabricated Content/False
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Authors
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
