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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:
S. NAZIMUDDIN AND M. QAISER
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Flower/Fruit:
Fl. Per.: June-November.
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Type:
Type: Habitat in Majorca, L. Gerard.
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Distribution:
Distribution: Greece, N. Africa, Siberia, Manchuria, China, Japan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bhutan, Sikkam, Nepal and Tibet.
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Comment/Acknowledgements:
In our area the variation in Rubio cordifolia L. is immense, especially in the length of petiole, indumentum, size of the leaf and the number of leaves per node. Usually several infraspecific taxes have been recognized. However, the splitting does not seem to be feasible as intermediates are not infrequent and variation seem to be more or less continuous. Nevertheless experimental taxonomic studies are needed to unravel the systematics of this species and its allies. Rubia cordifolia L. is treated here in a broad sense. However, there are workers like tiara (in Fl. E. Himal. 315 & 652. 1966; in Hara & Williams, Enum. Fl. Pl. Nepal 2: 207. 1984) who believe that Rubia cordifolia L. (sen. str.), characterized by the red fruits, does not occur in our area. According to such workers, the correct name of our species is Rubia wallichiana Decene. (Recher Garance 61: 1837) which is characterized by smaller, whitish or grayish white flowers and blackish fruits. Although the type is described from Majorca (Baleric Islands). However, this species is not recorded from these islands nor is there any material in any herbarium. It may be an error or the plant may have become extinct at an early date (Verdc. in Polhill, Fl. Trop. East Afr. (Rubiaceae-I) 381. 1976).
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Photo:
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Map Location:
A-7 Gilgit Dist.: Yasin and surrounding areas, S.M.A. Kazmi 5828 (KUH); B-7 Hazara, September 1939, Abdul Latif s.n. (RAW); Swat Dist: Kalam, S.M.A. Kazmi 631 (KUH); Azad Kashmir: Chikkar, Jehlum Valley, Aug. 1969, Iftekhar & Mahmood 948 (KUH); Azad Kashmir, 1956, Jan Mohd. s.n. (KUH); Swat Dist.: Utror, Swat, Sultanul Abedin 8455 (KUH); 14 miles from Mingora on way to Kalam, village Lande, 20.8.1972, M. Qaiser & A. Ghafoor 4654 (KUH); Kalam to Utror 7-8000 ft., R.R. Stewart & A. Rahman 25135 (RAW); Shonala, Swat, A. Rahman 172 (RAW); Swat, July 1961, N.A. Malik s.n. (KUH); Hazara Dist.: 2 miles from Abbottabad on way to Mansehra, Sultanul Abedin & M. Qaiser 8622 (KUH); About 3 miles from Mahandri on way to Naran, Kamal Akhter & M. Qaiser 247 (KUH); c. 4 miles from Gilgit, Nomal-Nalter, Kamal A. Malik & M. Qaiser 546 (KUH); B-8 Gilgit: Bursar Nulla, 4.8.1954, R.R. Stewart s.n. (RAW); Kachura lake, Skardu, Saood Omer & S. Nazimuddin 1033 (KUH); Bhagroat c. 25 miles from Gilgit, Saood Omer & S. Nazimuddin 1071 (KUH); Thane La Baltistan, Saood Omer & S. Nazimuddin 929 (KUH); Skardu to Gol,
E. Nasir & G.L. Webster 5868 (RAW); Kashmir: Kar-Gah, Gilgit 2600-2900 m.
F. Schmid 1989 (RAW); Nilt Army Camp, S.M.A. Kazmi 6131, 6133 (KUH); Naltar, Kamal Akhter & S. Nazimuddin 1845, 1862 (KUH); Upper Astor, R.R. & I.D. Stewart 18745 (RAW); Satpura Lake, Baltstan, Abdul Ghafoor & Z.L. Butt 560 (KUH); C-6 Kurram Valley, Parachinar, Shalozan Road, 5000 ft., M.A. Siddiqi & Y. Nast. 6555A (RAW); Shalozan, S. Nazimuddin & S. Abedin 1138 (KUH); Kurram Valley, Shalozan Road, Parachinar, ± 5000 ft., M.A. Siddiqi & Y. Nasir 6555B (RAW); C-7 Hazara Dist.: Abbottabad, S.I. Ali 1111 (KUH); Rawalpindi Dist.: Murree -Hills, 10.10.1958, collector unknown s.n. (KUH); Kashmir point, 7000 ft., M.A. Siddiqi & Y. Nasir 6063 (RAW); Changla gali, R.R. Stewart 4080 (RAW); Murree hills on way to Kashmir point, 6000 ft., Saida Qureshi s.n. (KUH); ibid., Saida Qureshi 256 (KUH); Rawalpindi Dist.: Murree, Bhurban Forest, M. Qaiser 229 (KUH); D-4 Baluchistan, Near Governor’s House, Ziarat, M. Qaiser & A. Ghafoor 1431 (KUH); Ziarat, 8000 ft., Jafri & Akbar 2234 (KUH); Wali Tangi, Quetta, Saood Omer & A. Chafoor 1794 (KUH).
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Perennial climbing herb. Stem divaricately branched, branches, rigid, quadrangular, glabrous or prickly-hispid, specially on the angles. Leaves (2-) 4 (-8) in a whorl, one pair of each whorl usually larger than the other with longer petioles, 1-10 x 2.1-6 cm, ovate-cordate, entire, acute, acuminate-cuspidate, cordate at base rarely rounded, 3-9 palmately veined, upper surface mostly glabrous and rough; petiole usually (0.5) 5-10 cm long, with sharp, recurved prickles; stipules absent or modified into leaves. Inflorescence of axillary and terminal paniculate cyme, trichotomously branched, few-many flowered; bracts ovate, 3-4.5 mm long, acute, foliaceous, sessile, in pairs. Flowers 3.5-4.5 mm in diameter, (4-) 5-merous, pedicel 3.4-5 mm, quadrangular. Calyx c. 1 mm long, globose, glabrous. Corolla greenish-white, tube ± absent, lobes (4-) 5, lanceolate, acute, c. 3-3.5 x 1-1.5 mm. Stamens 5, 0.5-0.75 mm, anthers oblong, basifixed. Styles 2, united at the base, c. 0.6 mm long; stigma globose. Fruit 4-5 x 3.5-5 mm, didymous or globose by suppression of one carpel, purplish black when ripe.
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