A threatened lily growing at Shirui Hills, Ukhrul

Dr Elangbam Jadu Singh *

Shirui Lily (White & pink Shirui Lily (Lilium macklinlea) blooming in May 2015 at Siroi hill :: Pix - Lamdamba Oinam

Shirui Hills lie east of Shirui village, about 15 km from Ukhrul and 105 km from Imphal. The hills comprise of three peaks ranging from 2000 m to 2590 m in altitude. It falls under Group 11 (Sub-group 11BCI) of Eastern Himalayan Wet Temperate Forests (Champion & Seth, 1968).

The Shirui lily grows mainly on the third peak, adapted to the micro climate, soil, and topography. Its shoots emerge in mid-April from rhizomes (bulbs) and seeds. Flowering begins in May and lasts until August. Seed formation follows in August—September, after which the aerial parts dry up.

A total of 85 species of lilies have been reported in the world, out of which 11 species are present in India mostly confined to the Himalayan region. Lilium mackliniae (Sealy) is one of the endemic and threatened species growing naturally in the third peak of Shirui hills and Dzukou Valley (* Singh et al. 1993).

In 1946, F Kingdon Ward discovered the Shirui lily during plant collection on behalf of the Royal Botanical Garden, Kew England. The botanical name of Shirui lily was Lilium mackliniae (Sealy) and belonged to the family Liliaceae. JR Sealy named the plant Lilium mackliniae in the honor of F Kingdon Ward's wife, Jean Macklinia. It was declared Manipur's State flower on 21st March 1998.

The plant has slender, delicate pink, bell-shaped flowers that pointed downward. The life form of Lilium mackliniae is geophyte, as the bulb remains dormant under the soil until shoot emerges in April. All the three peaks of Shirui hills were fully covered by the different varieties of perennial grass species instead of forest covering due to its transition zone between wet temperate and sub-alpine zone climate (Cold-habitat).

However, the downward portion of the three peaks were fully covered by the thick forests. The Shirui lilies growing in the burned portion are dwarf with 10cm to 30cm height and those growing in the unburned patches were not dwarf and healthy with 50cm to 60cm height on average. The lilies of the unburned patches were blooming with 2-6 flowers whereas in the burned portion 1-2 flowers were blooming.

The dominant associated plants with Shirui lily were Aconitamnegarum, Agapterusbuxifolia, Anemonrivularis (Summer Flower) Arundinellanepalensis (tall grass) Arundinellatrichata (Small bamboo), Cnicusinvolucratus, Eulalia palms, Holcus lanatum, Iris wattii (Kombilei), Liucusciliata, Miscanthus nepalensis, Paris hexaphylla, Polygonum opposit and Potentialasps.

When I was doing research under Himalayan Eco-Development Research Project Sponsored by the Department of Environment and Forests New Delhi at Life Sciences Department, Manipur University, Shirui hills was selected as my research site from 1982 to 1986. The climate of Shirui hills was normal up to 1982 but after 1984 and 1986 many issues arose for climate change in the Shirui hills.

The entire Shirui hill ranges were serpentine terrain (Rock, with Chromium deposits). In 1984 a road of 5 km long was constructed along the foothill of the Shirui Hill Ranges for transportation of chromium stones to the Bokaro Steel factory with the permission of the Manipur Government.

In the construction process many virgin forests were destroyed. Shirui people banned the work plan of transportation of chromium stones to the steel factory. In 1986 during Shri Rishang Keishing time, the then Chief Minister of Manipur another road was also constructed from the foothill of the 1st peak to the rest house of the 2nd peak for the convenience of tourists.

Many virgin forests on the construction process were also destroyed and all the forest owners got opportunity for harvesting many timber wood varieties of more than hundred years old such on Michelia champaka (Leihao), Michelia excelsa (Liehao Leirel), Phoebe hainesiana (Uningthou State tree of Manipur) and Quercus lamilosa (Uyung mana Ashangba) and other non-timber fuel wood trees.

Therefore the availability of transport facilities to the newly constructed roads encouraged the forest owners for harvesting all the forest resources to improve the economy of their forest-based livelihood. The Shirui Forests were very important stopover of Sid , the migratory bird from Siberia in the winter season.

The matured seeds of Michelia champaka and M. excelsa in the winter season (November to January) were the main favourite food for Siri bird and inflow rate of such migratory birds were reducing due to the shortage of foods and habitat modification caused by the construction of roads.

The main ecological role of migratory birds for regeneration of Michelia species during their feeding period in the Shirui forest-ranges were not in the continuation process. Many epiphytic rare orchids were also exploited due to the destruction of virgin forests.

Therefore the work plan for construction of roads in 1984 and 1986 for exportation of chromium stones and convenience of tourists may be the major -ecological crisis of climate change in the Shirui hills.

Lily population has been observed with 7 to 8 plants per metre square before 1986 however after 1986 the population has been found reducing. It may be due to change of microclimate in the Shirui hills after destruction of the virgin forests.

The habitat of L mackliniae has been threatened with the following various reasons.

1. Massive invasion of small bamboos to the lily habitat has been started slowly since 1986. The height and girth size of small bamboos increased due to climate change. It was the main ecological impact for decreasing lily population.

2. Burning of habitat annually and Shirui authority's belief was that traditional burning would eliminate weeds and initiate for coming up more number of lily plants in the next year. However this process burned above-ground seeds and generated heat impact to the undergrown rhizome. Therefore it may be one of the important issues for creating poor regeneration and reducing population density of lily plants.

3. Heavy grazing by the domestic animals throughout the year. In the process of grazing tender shoots of lily were eaten along the grasses. This was also a major biotic stress for declining lily population.

4. Plucking of flowers annually by the visitors at the time of flowering period. This illegal process was also one of the biotic factors affecting lily population. It is depleting progressively by the high biotic disturbance.

Thus Lilium macldiniae (Sealy) is restricted to the third peak of Shirui hills and adapted for growing naturally with the following various factors

1. Sunny slopes of grass-land ecosystem.
2. Adequate win speed throughout the year for its transition zone between temperate (Cold climate) and Sub-alpine climate (2950 m altitude).
3. Frost formation due to cold wind speed in most of the seasons.
4. Fertile Soil (Humus) ie smooth and dark in colour

The organic matter was high (4.7-5.5%). Acidity or Alkalinity varied from 5.7 to 6.7 pH, and high content of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium ie 0.48%, 80 ppm and 200 ppm. In the Shirui lily habitat except small bamboos, other associated plants were not interfering to the declining of population.

Therefore harvesting of small bamboos by using machine in co-ordination with Manipur Government and Shirui Village Authority instead of burning may be the positive solution for sustainable management and saving of Lilium mackliniae from the threat.

A joint meeting was conducted on the 29th November 2023 at the conference hall, Directorate of Environment and Climate Change, Porompat, regarding massive invasion of bamboos to the Shirui lily habitat (Shirui third peak).

In the meeting Dr T Brajakumar Singh (Director), member Secretary State Level Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Dr Elangbam Jadu Singh (writer), Chairman, (SEIAA), Dr Th Binoy Singh member (SEIAA) Dr Elangbam Bijoykumar Singh, Chairman, State Level Expert Appraisal committee (SEAC), Expert members (SEAC), Headman, Shirui Village and Shirui club members attended and after a minute of discussion it has been resolved to harvest small bamboos inspite of burning to bring permanent solution of sustainable management in the Shirui peak (Habitat of lily).

Cutting of small bamboos under the leadership of Headman and Secretary of Shirui club has been started in the winter season of 2023 with the objectives of mass awareness for protection of Shirui lily habitat.

In 2024 high number of Lilies blooming on the harvested habitat than the previous burned habitat has been reported from the Shirui village authority but scientific experiment of population density of Lilium mackliniae was not able to conduct in the habitat due to the present situation.

It is obvious that annual harvesting may be the first step in order to check habitat disturbance by the invasive bamboos inspite of burning. Secondly restoration of forest vegetation through conservation and reforestation strategies to bring back to the previous normal climate.

Besides Lilium mackliniea (State Flower) Phoebe hainesiana (uningthou, state tree) and Syrmaticushumiae (Nongin - State bird), Shirui hill ranges has unique ecosystem as it harbours many indigenous plants, animals and orchids.

Some of the indigenous plants are Switariachiralata (yenakhat Chiralata), Aconitum nagaram (Aconitum), Panax psendoginseng (Ginseng), Amomum cardamomum (Lam Alaichi) and indigenous birds found in the dense forest of shirui hills are Tragopan blithii (Lamyen) and Siri (migratory bird).

In addition to 72 orchids reported by Mukerjee from Ukhrul district in 1953, another 9 (nine) rare orchids were found growing in the Shirui hills i.e

1. Arachnanthe clarkei
2. Bulbophyllum wallichii
3. Cybidium tigrinum
4. Dendrobium remosum
5. D. Walliamsonii
6. Habenariageniculata
7. H. Sussanae
8. Sarcanthuspalliolus
9. Taina latifolia.

In view of biodiversity conservation, the Government of Manipur should focus on the proper functioning of existing Shirui National Park in co-ordination with Shirui village authority and to take up several initiatives to save such unique ecosystem as well as for conserving Shirui lily and also to promote natural based eco-tourism.


* Singh EJ, Yadava PS and Singh, TB 1993. A contribution to the flora of Shiroy Hills, Ukhrul, Bull Surv. India 1-4,99-105.