Published In:
The Flora of British India 3(8): 366. 1881. ( Fl. Brit. India)
(Last Modified On 5/20/2022)
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Acceptance
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Accepted
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(Last Modified On 1/8/2021)
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Contributor Text:
Abdul Ghafoor, M. Qaiser & Roohi Abid
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Contributor Institution:
Centre for Plant Conservation, University of Karachi – PAKISTAN
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Synonym Text:
Saussurea bracteata sensu Lipsch., Rod Saussurea 60. 1979 pro parte; R.R. Stewart, Ann. Cat. Vasc. Pl. W. Pak. & Kashm. 773. 1972 pro parte; non Decne 1844
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Flower/Fruit:
Fl. Per.: July – September Vern.: Bath Salts, Pansipa (Ladakhi), Kashmir snow lotus
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Type:
Lectotype: Western Tibet, from N Kashmir to Karakorum mountains, alt. 14 – 17000 ft., T. Thomson et al. s.n. (K) (designated by Lipsch. and narrowed down to Isolectotype (Nubra, Kashmir, India, 16000 – 18000 ft., T. Thomson s.n. (P 00836203) by Raab-Straube, l.c.
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Distribution:
Pakistan, India and SW China (Rare).
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Comment/Acknowledgements:
A pleasantly highly aromatic herb that grows in relatively humid subalpine zone among stony and rocky, moist scree and on grassy slopes between 3700 – 5200 m .
An ointment made of capitular or flowering buds is applied to cure boils and cuts, powder of buds is used to treat influenza, fever, intestinal pain and food poisoning.
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Map Location:
A-6 Chitral Dist.: Drosh, (Beorai), moist steep bank, 12500 ft, 35° 33' N, 71° 48', 1 August 1958, S. A. Bowes Lyon 201 (BM 535061, E 47950); B-7 W. Himalaya, Kagan (Kaghan) Valley, Masáká Masalla, Saran Range, 21.8.99, Inayat for J. F. Duthie 21923 (K); Iter Karakorumense, Shinghai Gah to Pahot Gali, Gilgit, 35˚ 48ˊ 55̎ N, 74˚ 10ˊ 17̎ E, relatively humid subalpine/lower alpine meadow, rich in herbs and Gramineae, with Salix karelinii on NW-facing boulderfield, 26.7.1990, G. & S. Miehe 866 (MSB); B-8 Shigar Nullah, meadow, 12000 ft., 2 ft high, stamens lavender rose, August 22, 1936, Walter Koelz 9719 (K); Kashmir, Burji La, 14500 ft., August 1, 1876, C.B. Clarke 29859A (K); Deosai Top, ±12000 ft., 26.8. 1987, Muqarrab Shah & Jamshed 272 (RAW); Deosii plains, 14000 ft., 20 Aug. 1966, M. A.Siddiqi, Y. Nasir, & Zaffar Ali 4195 (BM, K, RAW); Baltistan, Deosai, wet land, alt. 14000 ft., Erect perennial herb, up to 20 cm tall, purple capitulum, very rare, 15.8. 2002, Jan Alam & Fazal Karim 1433 (KUH); N.W. Himalayas, Back of Leh, Ladak, Aug., R.R. Stewart s.n. (RAW); Thalle La, Baltistan, Kashmir, ± 14000, 14.8. 1940, R.R. Stewart 20636 (RAW) B-9 Karakorum, 14000 ft., 12 Aug. 1876, C.B.Clarke 30458A (K); Karakorum Range, Baltistan, upper end of Hushe Valley, Ghondakoro Glacier, basin at the foot of Masherbrun grassy slopes near lateral moraines at Dal Sangpa, alt. ±14000 ft., pleasantly aromatic, bud glutinous, 19-20 July 1955, G. L. Webster & Eugene Nasir 6195 (A & RAW); NW Himalayas, Zing Poche, Ladak, Kashmir, alt. ca 18000 ft., Fls. purple-blue, Walter Koelz 2508a (K, MICH, RAW); Karakorum, Baltistan (N-Pakistan), Baintha, 4500 m, W-Exposition, 31.7.1962, Hans Hartman 1439 (MSB); N-Pakistan, Ghizar/Gilgit, Shandur-range, Langar valley, 3800 m, meadow, blocky, Fls. Violet, 19.7.1996, T. Peer 203/19 (MSB); C-9 Pense La, Zanskar Dist., Jammu & Kashmir, 13700 ft., Rocky scree near road, Leaves highly aromatic (“Bath Salts”), occasional, 2.8.1981, E.Bailey, D. Bull & S. Carr 209 (K); Tirdik, Upper Bedashisha Valley, near Sabu (Saboo near Leh), not far from Tibet, Ladakh, Acantholimon vegetation near eternal snow, 4800 m, on stony soil, 10.7.1976, F. Billiet & J. Leonard 6870 (K); Jammu & Kashmir, Matho Phulu, Ladakh, 34º 00ʹ N, 77º 41ʹ E, 5000 m, 28.7.1999, S. Beck 303 (MSB); Ladakh, Umasi La (N. Side), Zanskar, 14500 ft., 33º 36ʹ N, 76º 30ʹ E, on rocky slopes, Fls. purplish-blue, 1.8.76, J.D.A. Stainton 7733 (BM); Upper Wardwan, Kashmir, Aug. 1912, R.R.Stewart 145 (RAW).
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Erect, (15-) 20 – 25 (-40) cm tall, densely leafy all over, corymbosely branched above, basally woody perennial with previous year’s membranous, tunicated, dark brown, persistent, 6 – 7 mm wide petiolar bases. Leaves thick, flat, sinuate-dentate, concolorous, green on both sides, minutely glandular-papillate, lanceolate, acute, with thick, distinct midrib; basal and lower cauline leaves short-petioled, narrowly elliptic, up to 10 cm long, ca 2 cm wide; cauline leaves gradually smaller in size, narrowly decurrent at the base, attenuate; uppermost below the capitula basally much dilated, ˂ 3 cm wide at the base, broadly decurrent, upwardly directed, irregularly dentate or ± entire-margined, yellowish tinged with purple. Capitula shortly peduncled or ± sessile, in a corymbiform, 3 – 10 cm across, group of 3 – 5 (-8) at the apices of shoots. Involucre campanulate, ca 1.5 cm long, dark brown, laxly beset with long, white hairs, blackish-brown when dry. Receptacular bristles 3 – 4.5 mm long. Phyllaries 3-5-seriate, all acute, flaccid, outermost narrowly triangular, 9 – 12 mm long, 1.5 – 3 mm wide, median phyllaries narrowly elliptic–lanceolate, 12 – 15 mm long, 1.5 – 2 mm broad, inner ones linear-subulate, 15 – 18 mm long, 1 – 2 mm wide. Corolla dull purple, 1.5 – 1.8 (-2) cm long, tube 9 – 10 mm long, limb 7.5 – 9 mm long, with 4 – 5 mm long, linear-filiform lobes. Anthers lavender rose. Cypselas oblong to obovoid, 3.5 – 4.5 (-5) mm long, 5 – 7-ribbed, brown. Pappus brownish or dirty white, outer series bristles scabrous, 3 – 5 mm long, inner ones 12 – 15 mm long.
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