Published In:
Flora Altaica 4: 216. 1833. ( Fl. Altaic.) 
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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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Flower/Fruit:
Fl. Per.: June – August.
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Type:
Type: ”Hab. in summo monte circa fontes fl. Tscharysch, in monte crucis prope Riddersk, in insulis fl. Koksun [Ledebour] et Tchuja [Bunge].” (LE!).
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Habitat:
Moist alpine meadows, along streams, c. 3000-4700 m.
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Distribution:
Distribution: From W of Sayan Mts. in Baykal to Afghanistan and eastwards to Kashmir.
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Comment/Acknowledgements:
Type sheet in LE contains several gatherings, partly by Ledebour partly by Bunge. In addition, sheet contains plants named C. melananthiformis Litw. (smaller plants). The label includes several localities listed in protologue and it is impossible to assign individuals to these localities.
Dickoré (1995) distinguishes besides C. melanantha also C. moorcroftii Falc. ex Boott (Trans. Linn. Soc. 20: 140, 1851; type: Tibet, Rockhill, 15000 ft, Falconer s.n.; K) which seemingly would be in the Himalayas a more eastern, taller species) and, preferring dryer habitats, in Tibet replaces C. melanantha. Noltie (Fl. Bhutan 3,1, 1994) names only C. moorcroftii. The complex requires further study (see also Egorova 1999).
Clarke (1898), Dickoré (1995) and Kükenthal (1909) assign to C. moorcroftii the following specimens from our area:
A-7 Kargia, 4110 m, Koelz 5536 (W); B-8 Banks of Salt Lake, Tso Kar, Thomson s.n. (K); Koelz 6573 (W); B-9 Rupshu, ascent to Lanak Pass, Thomson s.n. (K); Ascent to Lanak Pass, Leh, Kardong Pass, Thomson s.n. (K).
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Map Location:
A-7 Chitral: Chatiboigletscher, 3450 m, Stamm & Wöhrl 105 (W); Baroghil Pass, 12500 ft, Stainton 2970 (RAW, W); Burzil Chowki, Gilgit road, 11000 ft, Stewart 19874 (RAW); Burzil pass, 10500 ft, Clarke 29635; Gilgit: Ishkuman Aghost, 4210-4540 m, Schmid 2427 (RAW); Naz Bar (Yasin), 4440 m, Miehe 3055 (H); 3075 (H); 4420 m, Miehe 3106 (H); 4090 m, Miehe 3271 (H); 4050 m, Miehe 3489 (H); A-8 Baghrot Valley, 4140 m, Miehe 4101 (H); 4280-4340 m, Miehe 4148 (H); 4280-4340 m, Miehe 4155 (H); Hunza, Daintar, 3200-3900 m, Lobbichler 145 (M); 171 (M); E. Chaprot, 3910 m, Bosshard & al. s.n. (H); Chaprot, 3600-4400 m, Bosshard, Klötzli & Schaffner 12.22; 728.53 p.p.; Khunjerab Pass, 4720 m, Miehe 2311 (H); 4650 m, Miehe 2345 (H); 4650 m, Miehe 2363 (H); 4600 m, Miehe 2403 (H); Garesa Glacier, 12 mi E Nagar, 3990 m, Polunin 6302 (B); B-8 Shinghai Gah to Pahot Gali, 4250 m, Miehe 1194 (H); 4150-4190 m, Miehe 1251 (H); 4230 m, Miehe 1552 (H); Jutial Nala, Stewart 26923 (K); Zogi La, 11000 ft, Thomson s.n. (K); Baltistan, Biafo, Cho Bok, 4210 m, Hartmann 250 (RAW); Liddar Valley, Sonsal Nullah, 13000-14000 ft, Duthie 13360 (K); Sonamarg, 11000 ft, Atkinson s.n; Levinge s.n.; Clarke 27351; Stewart 9777 (K); Astor, Burzil Pass, Stewart 22003B (K); Deosai Camp – Gulteri, Road to Skardu, Stewart 22203 (K); Dras Valley, Machoi, Inayat in Duthie 25771B (K); Skardu, Ruckum Pass, above Pirpoo, Winterbottom 884 (K); Shingo – Shigar, Osmaston 7 (K); B-9 Karpuchu Nullah, Duthie 11942 (K); Kashmir: Baltistan, Thalle La, 15000-16000 ft, Stewart 20748 p.p. (RAW); Karpuchu Valley, 12000-13000 ft, Duthie 11942 (E); Hispar Glacier, 14000 ft, Gandar Chish – Haigutum, Conway 195 (K); Kwero Lungma Glacier, Scott Russell 1255 (BM); 1354 (BM); Pensi Pass, Hartmann 2590; Koelz 5837 (W); B-8/9 Deosai, 13000-14000 ft, Stewart 19923 (RAW); Burzil Pass, Stewart 19807 (RAW); Deosai – Plateau, 3820 m, Miehe 2226 (H); ?Panji Pass, above Holojut, Miehe 6933; Baltar, 3500-3900 m, Paffen 78, 80, 102, 120 (M); Musjid Valley, 13000 ft, Duthie 13256 (K).
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Perennial, 10-60 cm. Rhizome short, covered by grey or yellow scales, emitting short stolons. Stem straight or base ascending, trigonous, smooth, papillose above. Leaves shorter or equalling stem length, rigid, sometimes slightly falcate; sheaths 20-40 mm, grey or yellow, darker and fibrous with age, margin of scarious side straight; ligule c. 0.2 mm, hardly arched; blades 2.5-5(-7) mm wide, flat, grey-green densely papillose below, scabrous towards apex. Inflorescence of 3-7 spikes, grouped closely together or lowest occasionally remote, terminal spike male or several of upper spikes androgynous. Bracts shorter than inflorescence, sheath-less. Male spikes 8-15 x 4-8 mm, ellipsoid or club-shaped; male glumes 6-6.5 x 1.3-1.5 mm, oblong, acute or obtuse, dark red brown. Female spikes 6-15 x 4-7 mm, ellipsoid, compact; female glumes 4-6 x 1.3-1.4 mm, from narrow elliptic to lanceolate or ovate, acute or obtuse, dark red brown, with scarious margin; utricles 2.5-5 x 1.2-1.6 mm, ellipsoid to pyriform, pale brown to dark red brown, inflated, papillose, obscurely nerved, beak (0-)0.2-1 mm, conical, obscurely bidentate or truncate, papillose, dark red brown. Stigmas 3. Nut c. 2 x 1.3 mm, including 0.2-0.4 mm style base, parallel-sided ellipsoid or pear-shaped, triangular, grey-brown, finely reticulate.
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