Published In:
Species Plantarum 1: 327. 1753. (1 May 1753) ( Sp. Pl.)   
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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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Type:
Type: Habitat in Europe aquosis.
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Distribution:
Distribution: Most of Europe, N. Africa, Central and S.W. Asia, to Pakistan and the Himalayas; eastern N. America; widely introduced reaching Australia and New Zealand.
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Comment/Acknowledgements:
A widely distributed and very variable species, known to have: (i) several ecotypes (Clapham et al, Fl.Brit. Isles 990, 1962); (ii) larger forms with 80 chromosomes and up to 18 flowers in each head; (iii) and hybrid, with sterile capsules and usually 3-6 flowers in each head.
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Illustration:
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Map Location:
A-7 Chitral, Toppin 652 (K); Gilgit to Imit, July 28/30, 1954, F.Schmid s.n. (RAW); Gilgit, ditches, R.R. Stewart 26296 (RAW); B-7 Swat, Mingora, Swat river, edge ,of still pool at the side of fast river, 3.6.1965, J.Lamond 1742 (RAW); Gbral, Swat, F.Grohman 6267 (RAW); Bahrain, 19.8.1952, R.R. Stewart 24579 (RAW); near Madian, marshy places, R.J.Rodin 5527 (RAW); Sho nala, A. Rehman 204 (RAW); Madian, 25.5.1966, Mir Alam 3895 (RAW); Jhamra, Swat, Nasir & Siddiqui 1083 (RAW); Dir, near, Gujar, 30.8.1962, Stewart, Nasir & Siddiqui 1347 (RAW); Hazara Dist., Abbottabad, 26.4.1953, I.I. Chaudhri s.n. (RAW); Sasin, Karakorum high-way, spikes greenish, 6.9.1972, Qaiser & Ghafoor 5427 (KUH); Ushu, Stewart & Rehman 25402 (RAW); B-8 Kashmir, Tanmarg, 1.9.1919, R.R. Stewart 10588 (RAW); Weyil, Sind valley, R.R. & I.D. Stewart 18097 (RAW); Baghica to Olding, near water fall, RR. Stewart 20998 (RAW); Keran to Reshma, R.R. & I.D. Stewart 17716 (RAW); Nasimbagh, Dal Lake, R.R.Stewart 3259 (RAW); Ancher lake, near Srinagar, R.R. Stewart 8100 (RAW); Sonmarg, R.R Stewart 6683 (RAW); Tilel valley, R.R. & I.D. Stewart 18586 (RAW); B-9 Baltistan, Shigar, W.Koelz 9674 (RAW); above Rattu, Astor valley, R.R & I.D. Stewart 18773 (RAW); C-7 Rawalpindi Dist., Murree, R.R. Stewart 9559 and 9592 (RAW); Murree, Asghar Ali 138 (RAW); Murree, near water, common, 15.6.1959, Jafri & Ali 3032 (KUH); Kahuta, 28.3.1940, M.Nath 19348 (RAW); Khanna, RR. Stewart 10119 (RAW); C-8 Poonch, Jajira, July 1952, Rashid s.n. (RAW); D-4 Sibi Dist., Ziarat, Nov. 1952, S.M.H. Jafri 725 (KUH); Y. Nasir & Z. Ali 5785 (RAW); M. Nath 2324 (RAW); Urak, near water, flower brown, Qaiser & Ghafoor 1342 (KUH); Faruqi & Qaiser 2431 (KUH); E-4 Kalat, Skalku, c. 2500 m, common, 19.6.1957, Jafri & Akber 1895 (KUH,K).
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Perennial, shortly rhizomatous, greenish herb, (10-) 15-50 (-80) cm tall, erect to almost prostrate, sometimes rooting from the lower nodes, non-stoloniferaus; stem terete, faintly sulcate with 2-6 cauline leaves. Leaves shorter than stem linear transversely 15-25 septate-nodose, subterete, green, usually 1-2 mm broad; basal sheaths usually brownish, auricled. Inflorescence terminal, often richly and somewhat dichotomously branched, with many shortly stalked heads, each consisting of (4)6-10(-12) flowers, 5-10 mm across; lowest bract erect, usually c. half as long as the inflorescence, leafy. Flowers (2-)2.5-3 mm long, brownish to greenish, sessile; perianth segments lanceolate, acute inner subobtuse with broad whitish margins. Stamens 6, much shorter than the perianth, with anthers c. as long as the filaments. Capsules 34 mm long, 1.5-2 mm broad, oblong-ovoid or ellipsoid, usually contracted abruptly into a short beak, conspicuously exceeding the perianth, brownish to greenish, often lustrous, many seeded (3040); seeds c. 0.4(-0.5) mm long, ovoid or ellipsoid, brownish 2n=80.
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