Please Help ID this plant with an unusual inflorescence

[taffa...@gmail.com]

Dear members,

Kindly help ID this herb with a peculiar inflorescence.

Habitat: Edge of lawn in Rawathpora Srinagar

Habit: Herb. There is a rosette of basal leaves 15-18 cm long, lanceolate  with winged petioles. Inflorescences borne on 18-20 cm long erect branches at the end of 10cm long pedicels., Inflorescence has an involucre of two whorls of bracts. Outer whorl has six dark green bracts 1cm long and 4mm wide. Inner whorl has about 8 light green bracts 2mm wide. The striking thing about the inflorescence is that it has 7 pentagonal flowers 1 mm dia with a red spot in center, Anthers are not visible. The red spot could be the stigma. Flowers have transparent colorless tepals (?) about 0.2mm long (Seen more clearly in photos of LS (Longitudinal sections) of inflorescences.

All photos taken on 25th or 26th of July

All photos under CC-BY license(Only Attribution needed)

Regards

Taffazull

[taffa...@gmail.com]

Some more photos:

[Saroj Kasaju]

Asteraceae??

Thank you.

Saroj Kasaju

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[taffa...@gmail.com]

Dear Saroj Ji,

Thanks for the suggestion,

The inflorescences looks like a capitula but I can make out neither ray florets nor disc florets.

Just a red dot in the center.

Maybe the tiny tepal looking structures are ray florets

Would request opinion of experts for its ID

With regards

Taffazull

[taffa...@gmail.com]

There are not 7 but 15 flower like structures with red centers in photoCLOSEUP 2.If each of these is a capitulum then it should qualify in records as the smallest capitulum!

Regards

Taffazull

[taffa...@gmail.com]

One more photo:

Photo of immature flower. Only 5 bracts of the outermost whorl are spread out. c.f photos of mature flowers posted earlier. Photo taken today 1August.

Regards

Taffazull

[J.M. Garg]

Forwarding again for Id assistance please.

Some earlier relevant feedback:

Asteraceae?? Thank you. Saroj Kasaju

Thanks for the suggestion,

The inflorescences looks like a capitula but I can make out neither ray florets nor disc florets. Just a red dot in the center. Maybe the tiny tepal looking structures are ray florets Would request opinion of experts for its ID With regards Taffazull

There are not 7 but 15 flower like structures with red centers in photoCLOSEUP 2.If each of these is a capitulum then it should qualify in records as the smallest capitulum! Regards Taffazull

One more photo:

Photo of immature flower. Only 5 bracts of the outermost whorl are spread out. c.f photos of mature flowers posted earlier. Photo taken today 1August. Regards Taffazull

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With regards,
J.M.Garg

[Shakir Ahmad]

Succisa? 

[taffa...@gmail.com]

I have finally identified it as Cichorium intybus a common weed in Srinagar. Strangely the flowers which had bloomed earlier and which I had posted earlier were abnormal with excessive development of bracts and underdevelopment of petals which led to my confusion. Now normal flowers have formed (Photos taken on 11th August are attached).

I am at a loss to understand what caused the profound change in the development of earlier flowers, Could be some environmental pollutant? It would, I think, be of much interest to students of gene expression  during flower development.

Cichorium intybus is called Handi Posh  in Kashmiri and Kasni  in Urdu and is said to have anti inflammatory and diuretic properties.

Regards

[J.M. Garg]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: J.M. Garg <jmg...@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2023 at 15:29
Subject: Re: [efloraofindia:453217] Please Help ID this plant with an unusual inflorescence
To: <indian...@googlegroups.com>
Cc: TAFA <taffa...@gmail.com>

Yes, I agree as per images at 
https://efloraofindia.com/2011/02/15/cichorium-intybus/

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With regards,
J.M.Garg

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With regards,
J.M.Garg

[taffa...@gmail.com]

Having carefully studied the development of flowers I find that as the flowers mature the petals wither and fall off and the inner whorl of bracts which till then were small and not noticeable develop rapidly and become prominent. The pictures that I first posted were of mature flowers and hence my confusion. I am reposting  photos of mature flowers, Chicory is not cultivated in Kashmir where it is considered  a weed but in some countries it is cultivated and powdered roots are mixed with coffee  to obtain a characteristic flavor.

Regards

Taffazull

[J.M. Garg]

Thanks alot, Taffazull ji, for the additional observations.

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With regards,
J.M.Garg