Bupleurum longicaule Wall. vs Bupleurum candollei Wall.

[J.M. Garg]

There seems some confusion in efi site between these two species.

Let us see the differences:

Bupleurum longicaule Wall. in Flora of Pakistan:  

Perennial, 15-40 cm tall, 1 or more stems from the base. Lower leaves linear to lanceolate; upper leaves lanceolate, amplexicaul, apices long acuminate. Involucral bracts 1-3, ovate, unequal. Rays 2-8. Involucel of 6-8 oval bractlets, slightly connate at the base, longer than the flowering umbellet, veins 5-7. Petals and stylopodium almost black. Fruit oblong; ridges slightly winged; furrows 3-vittate.

Bupleurum candollei Wall. in Flora of Pakistan:

Perennial, up to 1 m tall. Lower leaves linear to lanceolate, veins 5-7 secondary veins prominent, apex mucronate, base narrowed; upper leave, lanceolate to oblong, oval or ovate; shorter subsessible leaves intermixed with the larger leaves, veins 13-17, secondary veins distinct, apex mucronate. Involucral bracts 1-4, lanceolate to oval, foliaceous. Rays 5-10. Involucel of lanceolate to oval bractlets, as long or longer than the flowering umbellet, veins 3-5. Fruit elliptic, 4-5 mm long; ridges prominent, obtuse; furrows 3-vittate.

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With regards,
J.M.Garg

'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna'

Winner of Wipro-NFS Sparrow Awards 2014 for efloraofindia. 

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[J.M. Garg]

Here are the keys:

7 (6)	Plants with almost black flowers. Bractlets ovate, 5-7 veined, as long or longer than the flowering umbellet		Bupleurum longicaule
+	Plants with yellow or black flowers. Bractlets lanceolate to oval, 3-5 veined, as long or longer or shorter than the flowering umbellet		(8)
8 (7)	Bases of upper leaves completely amplexicaul, auriculata		(9)
+	Bases of upper leaves not or slightly amplexicaul, not auriculata		(11)
9 (8)	Apices or upper leaves long acuminate. Flowers yellow		(10)
+	Apices of upper leaves not acuminate. Flowers dark purple		Bupleurum constancei
10 (9)	Lower leaves linear; upper with inflated leaf bases		Bupleurum clarkeanum
+	Lower leaves linear to lanceolate; upper without inflated leaf bases		Bupleurum thomsonii
11 (8)	Bracts present. Rays 5-12. Upper leaves cordate		(12)
+	Bracts frequently lacking or 1. Rays 5-8. Upper leaves oblong, not cordate		Bupleurum swatianum
12 (11)	Bracts 1-3, Rays 8-12. Upper leaves oblong to broadly ovate, cordate. Bractlets shorter than the flowers		Bupleurum jucundum
+	Bracts 1-4, unequal. Rays 5-10. Upper leaves oval to ovate, amplexicaul. Bractlets as long or longer than the flowers		Bupleurum candollei

[J.M. Garg]

To look further to find the clues, I am giving details from all the three eFloras:

Bupleurum longicaule Wall. in Flora of Pakistan:  

Perennial, 15-40 cm tall, 1 or more stems from the base. Lower leaves linear to lanceolate; upper leaves lanceolate, amplexicaul, apices long acuminate. Involucral bracts 1-3, ovate, unequal. Rays 2-8. Involucel of 6-8 oval bractlets, slightly connate at the base, longer than the flowering umbellet, veins 5-7. Petals and stylopodium almost black. Fruit oblong; ridges slightly winged; furrows 3-vittate.

For Bupleurum longicaule var. himalayense (Kl.) C.B. Clarke in Hook. f.

Up to 50 cm tall. Stem usually 1. Lower leaves linear, veins 5-7; upper leaves lanceolate, veins 9-19. Involucral bracts 1-4, unequal. Rays 2-6. Involucel of 6-10 ovate, imbricate bractlets. Flowers almost black. Fruit ridges winged.

Distribution: Himalayas in India and Pakistan. This is common in Kashmir from 3-4000 m.

Bupleurum longicaule var. ramosum Nasir

10-30 cm tall, decumbent. Stems many from the base. Basal leaves linear, lower leaves linear to lanceolate. Involucral bracts 1-3. Rays 3-5. Involucel of 5 linear to oval bractlets. Flowers dark purple to almost black.

Distribution: Himalayas in India and W. Pakistan

Bupleurum longicaule Wall. ex DC. in Checklist of Nepal:

3300-4900 m; Himalaya (Kashmir, Kumaun, Bhutan), Tibet.

Bupleurum candollei Wall. in Flora of Pakistan:

Perennial, up to 1 m tall. Lower leaves linear to lanceolate, veins 5-7 secondary veins prominent, apex mucronate, base narrowed; upper leave, lanceolate to oblong, oval or ovate; shorter subsessible leaves intermixed with the larger leaves, veins 13-17, secondary veins distinct, apex mucronate. Involucral bracts 1-4, lanceolate to oval, foliaceous. Rays 5-10. Involucel of lanceolate to oval bractlets, as long or longer than the flowering umbellet, veins 3-5. Fruit elliptic, 4-5 mm long; ridges prominent, obtuse; furrows 3-vittate.

Distribution: Himalayas in India and W. Pakistan

Bupleurum candollei Wallich ex de Candolle from Flora of China :

Plants 40–100 cm, perennial. Taproot stout, woody, branched. Stem erect, much-branched above, branches spreading-ascending, base without fibrous remnant sheaths. Lower leaves linear-lanceolate or long-elliptic, 12–15 × 0.5–0.8 cm, 11–15-nerved, abaxially glaucous, apex rounded-obtuse, apiculate. Upper leaves long-obovate, base cuneate. Umbels 2.5–4 cm across; bracts 3–5, ovate, 3–20 × 2–10 mm, unequal; rays 4–8, 1–3 cm, unequal, slender; bracteoles 5, broadly elliptic or suborbicular, 3–6 × 1.8–4 mm, apex rounded, apiculate, greatly exceeding flowers; umbellules 8–12 mm across, 10–15-flowered; pedicels 0.5–1.5 mm. Petals pale yellow or dark purple. Stylopodium low-conic, discoid, dark yellow or dark purple. Fruit oblong, brown, 2.7–3.5 × 1.7–1.9 mm; ribs prominent, narrowly winged; vittae 3 in each furrow, 4 on commissure. Fl. Jul–Aug, fr. Sep–Oct.

Mixed forests on shady slopes, open forests, mountain slopes, grassy places; 1800–3200 m. W Sichuan, S Xizang, Yunnan [Bhutan, N India, Kashmir, N Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sikkim].

Bupleurum candollei var. candollei (C. B. Clarke) Ridley in Flora of China 

Stem, bracts and bracteoles green. Basal leaves linear-lanceolate or long-elliptic, leaf blade abaxially glaucous, thinly papery. Petals yellow. Stylopodium dark yellow.

Open forests, mountain slopes, grassy places; 1800–3200 m. W Sichuan, S Xizang, NW Yunnan [Bhutan, N India, Kashmir, N Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sikkim].

Bupleurum candoleii Wall. ex DC.in Checklist of Nepal:

2400-4000 m; Himalaya (Kashmir to Bhutan), Assam, N. Burma, Tibet