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(Last Modified On 6/2/2011)
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Acceptance
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Accepted
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(Last Modified On 6/3/2011)
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Contributor Text:
SAOOD OMER
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Contributor Institution:
Department of Botany, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270
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Flower/Fruit:
Fl. Per.: May-August.
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Type:
Syntypes: Several specimens from Himalaya and Siberia.
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Distribution:
A-8 Gilgit: Hunza, Ulter nullah, ± 10000 ft., 12.8.1954, R.R. Stewart s.n. (RAW), B-8 Baltistan: Skardu, 8000 ft., 24.6.1955, E. Nasir & Webster 5791 (RAW), c. 5 miles from Shigar on Way to Alchuri, 18.5.1983, Omer et al. 893 (KUH), Khaplu, 21.5.1983, Omer et al. 957 (KUH). Distribution: Siberia (South )-Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir, India, Tibet to Nepal (Himalaya).
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Comment/Acknowledgements:
Very closely related to Ciminalis squarrosa Ledeb. But could be differentiated from it on the basis of eglandular hairs and dorsifixed stamens. Burkill (1906) described this taxon as Gentiana pseudohumilis, but Makino (1904) had already u sed the same specific epithet for an entirely different taxon. H. Smith (1936) caught this anamoly and inscribed it in honour of Burkill as Gentiana burkilli H.Smith. Burkill (1906) did not indicate any particular type in the original description, but cited eleven specimen. He mentioned the following habitat, "Alpes Himalaicae occidentalis Estiamque Siberia" and underneath it, he cited eleven specimens: the collection of Strachey & Winterbottom 15 from Garhwal, from Kulu valley T. Thomson (K!), from Chamba, Hay, from Kashmir, Rupshu, Stoliczka, from Kargil, T. Thomson, id., Stoliczka, Leh, Heyde, id., Stoliczka, from Baltistan, Shyok, T. Thomson, from Afghanistan, Griffith 5823, from Siberia, Vlassow. Apart from one specimen, I am unable to trace any other syntypes, though, Burkill stated in the manuscript that they were in Herb. K.
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Map Location:
A-8 Gilgit: Hunza, Ulter nullah, ± 10000 ft., 12.8.1954, R.R. Stewart s.n. (RAW), B-8 Baltistan: Skardu, 8000 ft., 24.6.1955, E. Nasir & Webster 5791 (RAW), c. 5 miles from Shigar on Way to Alchuri, 18.5.1983, Omer et al. 893 (KUH), Khaplu, 21.5.1983, Omer et al. 957 (KUH).
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Annual-biennial, erect, up to 5.0 cm long, branched, greyish green herb. Stem many, mostly branched from base or simple, lineolate, glabrous-pubescent, pubescence.glandular or eglandular. Basal leaves rosulate, 0.2-0.6 x 0.1-0.4 cm, broadly obovate, marginate, margin cartilaginous, slightly papillate, mucronate, connate at base, univeined. Cauline 0.25-0.6 (-0.7) x 0.175-0.3 (-0.4) cm, broadly obovate-broadly ovate or spathulate, cartilaginous, papillate-dentate, mucronate, connate at base. Inflorescence solitary, terminal. Flowers pedicellate, 0.4-1.0 cm long, campanulate. Calyx the length of flower, persistent in fruit, 03-0.7 cm long, tube 0.2-0.5 cm long, 0.1-0.25(-0.3) x 0.075-0.225 cm, ovate-broadly ovate, margin cartilaginous, dentate, mucronate, sinuses between lobes obtuse-acute. Corolla blue with yellow throat, sometimes white, 0.5-1.0cm long, 0.3-0.6 cm long, lobes 0.1-0.2 (-0.25) x 0.75-0.125 cm, lanceolate, entire, acute, plicae smaller than corolla lobes, 0.05-0.125 x 0.025-0.5 cm, lanceolate, acute-acuminate, entire. Stamens 5, filaments slender, uniform in shape, adnate in middle of corolla, anthers dorsifixed, sagittate, bibbed. Ovary 0.2-0.35 x 0.1-0.2 cm, oblanceolate, shortly stipitate, stigma subsessile, or style divided from base into two, stigmas 2, papillose. Nectaries at base of ovary. Capsule stalked, 0.3-0.5 x 0.2-0.35 cm, broadly oblanceolate, many seeded. Seeds small, ovoid, brown, finely reticulated.
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