Rare flowers bloom at IISc as summer recedes

’Late bloomers’ are an attraction on the campus now

As we move from summer into the monsoon, the campus of Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is blooming with some very interesting flora.

“These plants are often called laggards. They are the late bloomers of the lot that come out right as summer is about to end,” says Sankara Rao, retired professor of biochemistry at the institute. Rao has written two books on botany on the institute’s campus. The IISc campus, stretching over 400 acres, is often described as a botanist’s delight. With over 900 species of flora, it houses not just native trees but also several species from around the world.

Different types of flora bloom on the campus in different seasons. Currently, it is time for the late bloomers, the heart of flame plant and the snuff box tree being among them. “In layman’s terms, the heart of flame or bromelia balansae is basically a distant cousin of our beloved pineapple. It has reddish-green spikey leaves and in the middle, you will find little lilac flowers. Once you see this plant blooming on the campus, it is a signal to bid adieu to the scorching summer,” says Rao.

The snuff box tree is native to South Africa. Legend has it that the fruit of the tree was used to make the snuff boxes used by many South Africans back in the day. Its botanical name is Oncoba spinosa and its flower has a mild melon smell.

“Over the years many have helped plant trees on the campus. A traveller or guest lecturer who visited years ago might have planted this tree,” he says. IISc has its own plant nursery, where saplings are grown and relocated to different parts of the campus.