Cathcartia villosa - The Himalayan woodland poppy is native to the higher elevations of the Himalayan Plateau stretching eastwards from Nepal to Bhutan. It prefers altitudes from 2,900 to 4,480 meters and is usually found in woodland glades or along the banks of small streams. Despite the high altitudes, the woodland poppy is equipped to handle the cold. A thin coat of fine hairy fibers cover the plant and serves as an insulation against the frigid temperatures.
- - - - -
The early history of Bhutan consists of several small fiefdoms engaged in a perpetual cycle of battles against each other. Unification and an end to tribal friction was achieved in the early 17th century when Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, a Tibetan military leader, took control of the area. A serious of dzongs, military fortifications, were built to protect Bhutan from outsiders. To establish and strengthen a centralized form of government, the Tsa Yig, a code of uniform laws, was promoted.
