Are Nanorrhinum incanum & Nanorrhinum ramosissimum same or all our observation are of Nanorrhinum ramosissimum ?

[J.M. Garg]

Dear members,

I got confused between these two this time also, as I always was.

So I decided to go deep into the subject.

I could not find the description of Nanorrhinum incanum on the net anywhere except at Scrophulariaceae of the Western Himalayas By Francis . Pennell (1943- Description & Keys- Kickxia ramosissima, incana & subsessilis).   
As per description given above for both the species, there is much variation from each of them for our posts at Nanorrhinum incanum (Wall.) Betsche and Nanorrhinum ramosissimum (Wall.) Betsche

There seems to be no consistency w.r.t. hairiness of the plants (as in Nanorrhinum ramosissimum (Wall.) Betsche whole plant including the external surface of the corolla is supposed to be glabrous). I could not find upper lip purpluish in any of our observations at Nanorrhinum incanum (Wall.) Betsche and Nanorrhinum ramosissimum (Wall.) Betsche

In one of our observations from Aurangabad, at ID21022014PHK1, I found spur to be different and purple spotting on the lips.

As per Flora of Peninsular India, Nanorrhinum incanum is found only in Pune, Satara and Sindhugarh districts of Maharashtra in Peninsular India.

Specimens in GBIF and details at Catalogue of Life  POWO  Annotated checklist of the flowering plants of Nepal for Nanorrhinum incanum did not help.

Can anybody have keys of both species to know further differences, particularly Flora of Maharashtra or any other source?

Awaiting for your valuable feedback.
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With regards,
J.M.Garg

[J.M. Garg]

I could get keys and descriptions in Flora of Bhutan as below:

Keys in Flora of Bhutan by AJC Grierson and D G Long, Vol.2 Part 3 (2001):

1. Plant densely greyish-villous or hirsute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1. Kickxia incana (syn. of Nanorrhinum incanum (Wall.) Betsche)
+ Plant glabrous or almost so . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 2
2. Calyx lobes 0.9— 1.2mm broad. irregularly lobed near base: corolla 8 10mm .... 2. K. membranacea (Bhutan as per Catalogue of Life)
+ Calyx lobes 0.4—0.8mm broad. entire: corolla 5—8mm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 3
3. Seeds with large, blunt, whitish papillae; leaves papillose beneath .... 3. K. papillosa (Bhutan as per Catalogue of Life)
+ Seeds with small barbate tubercles; leaves not papillose beneath .... 4. K. ramosissima (Nanorrhinum ramosissimum (Wall.) Betsche)

1. K. incana ( Wall.) Pennell; Limrriu riwuim Wall. (but not sensu F.B.l.)
Prostrate. greyish-green. suffrutescent perennial. with many dilfuse branches. Stems to 40cm. slender. villous with unequal. white. eglandular hairs mostly very short and spreading). 0.5—1 mm. intermixed with some glandular hairs. Leaves shortly petiolate (petiole 0.5—3mm): Lamina ovate or oblong-ovate. upper sometimes deltoid. 3-16 >< 2—12mm. obtuse or subacute, base hastate or obtuse (basal lobes if present very short and spreading), entire or with 2 lateral teeth near base, eglandular villous on both surfaces. Pedicels 7—19mm. filiform. erecto-patent +/-straight except for abruptly reflexed tip. Calyx lobes linear-lanceolate. c 3.5 >< 0.7mm. scarious-margined. shortly eglandular-villous. Corolla yellow. 5.5-7mm (excluding spur). densely pilose outside; spur 2-3mm. Capsule subglobose. 2.5—4mm: seeds 0.35—0.5mm. tuberculate.
Bhutan: C — Tashigang district (Tashigang—Yadi). Roadside rocks and cliff slopes in very arid valley. 800—950m. October.

4. K. ramosissima (Wall.) Janchen; Linaria ramosissima Wall. Fig. 93c.
Prostrate suffrutescent perennial. Stems to 40cm. slender. glabrous except near base. Leaves ovate or narrowly ovate. occasionally almost orbicular in outline. 5—25 >< 2 25mm. acute. base obtuse or hastate. sometimes with small lateral teeth just above base. usually glabrous. Pedicels 8—12mm +/- straight except for recurved distal end. filiform. Calyx linear-lanceolate. 3—3.5mm. gradually acuminate upwards from scarious-margined base. Corolla pale yellow with brown spots in throat. c 7mm excluding spur. hairy outside and inside; spur c2mm. Capsule subglobose. 2.5—3mm; seeds dark brown. covered with barbate tubercles.
Bhutan: C - Tashigang district (Cha Zam near Tashigang and Tashigang Yadi). Dry rock-faces in arid valley and on rocks by roadsides. 900—1000m. June-October.
A very variable species. much confused in the literature. which needs further taxonomic study. The description applies to plants from the E Himalaya only.
Yamazaki's record of this species from Punakha district (Wangdu Phodrang (71)) almost certainly refers to K. membranacea.
Used in Uttar Pradesh as a cure for diabetes (352).

Based on this and following a broader picture due to variability of K. ramosissima, I will try to rectify the identifications where ever possible.

Pl. point out if you find any mistake.  

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With regards,
J.M.Garg

[Gurcharan Singh]

Garg ji

Here is Key from Scrophulariaceae of Western Himalayas by Pennell

Dr. Gurcharan Singh

Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Mob: 9810359089

https://sing96.wixsite.com/mysite-1

[J.M. Garg]

Thanks, Singh ji,
I was discussing w r t that only, in the initial mail.

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With regards,
J. M. Garg