Seasons: Monsoon

The sanjeevani of the rocks — curls up bone dry, then greens again in an hour of rain.

The blue vanda of Meghalaya — tessellated flowers, and protected in the wild.

Cane orchid of the eastern hills, flowering along last year’s bare canes.

An antler-shaped epiphytic fern of Assam’s forests, mounted on a board.

The sour leaf of Assam and Manipur, cooked with fish and pork.

Egg-shaped tart fruit on a soft-wooded small tree of the eastern hills.

The squash that covers a whole roof in one season across the eastern hills.

The thin-skinned Assam lemon, fragrant enough to scent a whole kitchen.

The loose-skinned orange of the Khasi and Jaintia hills, ripe in December.

A tuberous legume of Meghalaya, eaten raw and crisp with salt and mustard oil.