Oreomecon rubroaurantiaca

Oreomecon rubroaurantiaca is a plant in the family Papaveraceae, native to southern Siberia, Mongolia, and northeastern China. It primarily grows in subalpine or subarctic biomes, often in high‑altitude environments. Formerly known as Papaver rubroaurantiacum, it was transferred to the genus Oreomecon. This genus was established in 2022 for taxa previously treated as Papaver section Meconella in order to ensure that the genus Papaver is monophyletic. The genus name Oreomecon derives from the Ancient Greek oros (“mountain”) and mecon (“poppy”), reflecting the plant’s typical habitat.

Hemerocallis minor

Hemerocallis minor, commonly known as dwarf daylily, grassleaf lily, and small daylily, is a plant in the family Asphodelaceae, native to Siberia, Mongolia, China, and Korea. Despite their common name, daylilies are not true lilies (plants of the genus Lilium, family Liliaceae). Although the flowers of Hemerocallis and Lilium species have a similar shape, their growth habits, stems, and leaf shapes are distinctive. The genus name Hemerocallis derives from the Ancient Greek hemera (“day”) and kalos (“beautiful”), reflecting the fact that the flower typically blooms for only one day, usually opening around sunrise.

Scabiosa comosa

Scabiosa comosa, commonly known as northeastern scabious, is a plant in the family Caprifoliaceae, native to southern Siberia, Mongolia, northern China, and Korea. The genus name Scabiosa derives from the Latin scabiosus (“mangy, rough, or itchy”), referring to the plant’s traditional use in folk medicine for treating scabies. The protruding styles resemble pins stuck in a cushion, which explains the alternative common name pincushion flower.

Ongon

Ongons serve as spirit houses in the shamanic traditions of Mongolia and Siberia. Common materials used in their construction include wood, leather, felt, stone, paper, fur, feathers, straw, and metal. The forms of ongons vary considerably: some are highly abstract, while others are markedly more realistic. Although ordinary people may create an ongon, it is activated by a shaman, who summons a spirit to inhabit it. Most ongons house ancestor or animal spirits; however, some contain powerful nature spirits or the souls of esteemed shamans. Since most ongon spirits are believed to have previously lived as humans or animals, they are thought to retain human‑like emotions and memories, and thus are treated with respect. Once empowered by a shaman, an ongon is placed in the sacred area of a ger (the traditional round felt tent of nomadic peoples, often referred to as a yurt in the West) and offered sustenance in the form of liquor, blood, milk, or fat. When a spirit is no longer required or desired, the ongon is either respectfully burned or returned to nature, allowing the spirit to rejoin the natural world from which it was summoned.

Lilium pumilum

Lilium pumilum, commonly known as coral lily and low lily, is a plant in the family Liliaceae, native to Siberia, Mongolia, northern China, and Korea. The specific epithet pumilum is a commonly used term in botanical nomenclature: it translates as “dwarfish” and is frequently employed to distinguish a small species or variety from larger members of the same genus.

Scorzonera radiata

Scorzonera radiata is a plant in the family Asteraceae, native to Siberia, Mongolia, and northeastern China. The genus name Scorzonera derives from the Italian scorza nera (“black bark” or “black rind”), referring to the dark outer appearance of the edible root. Some sources also trace the term to the Old French word scorzon, which denotes a venomous snake; historically, the plant was used as an antidote for snake bites, hence the common name viper’s grass.

Gentianopsis barbata

Gentianopsis barbata, commonly known as fringed gentian, is a plant in the family Gentianaceae, native to the Himalayas, Siberia, Mongolia, China, and Korea. The genus name traces back to Gentiana, a name traditionally associated with King Gentius of Illyria, whom the Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder mentioned in connection with the medicinal use of gentian roots. Gentianopsis itself means “resembling Gentiana”, reflecting its close relationship to that genus.