Plant specialist's passion still flowers

At the moment, Wang is working with international botanical experts on a compilation of the flora of the pan-Himalayan region, a major international collaborative research project in plant taxonomy led by China.

"The plant survey in the broader Himalayan region is crucial because this area represents the most unique geographical area on Earth," Wang says.

It features over 50 percent of the world's 7,000-meter-high snowcaps and the most spectacular alpine plant communities, hosting nearly 20,000 plant species.

More importantly, the region is home to over 20,000 vascular plant varieties, accounting for about two-thirds of China's botanical diversity, he adds.

"Most of the region is in our country, and we should take the lead in sorting them out," Wang says.

Lu Limin, Wang's lab colleague, says going to the wildness is like going home to Wang.

"Plant taxonomy requires a good deal of fieldwork, and I can only bump into him during occasional meetings," Lu says.

"When I call him, he's usually back in the mountains in the pan-Himalayan area," she says.

Lu believes Wang's persistence stems from a heartfelt passion that has enabled him to achieve a series of significant accomplishments.

"His love for his research subjects is evident, because he has affectionately called them 'little fairies' or 'snowy spirits'," Lu says.