fritillaria

In a meadow-style array with plum and apple trees, blue camassias mingle with pink-and-white Lady Jane tulips and bell-shaped, purple-and-white-checkered snake’s head fritillaria.

It’s possible Fritillaria delavayi could have evolved in a short timeframe.

Niu says the Chinese government is currently working on updating Fritillaria delavayi’s conservation status to reflect the increasing threat and possibly afford it stronger protections.

In a study published in the journal Current Biology, scientists from China and the U.K. found that in areas where Fritillaria delavayi was being harvested at high rates, the herb was more likely to camouflage.

But that eye-catching yellow flower and those vibrant green leaves have started to grow gray and brown in this Fritillaria species.