Iris kemaonensis from above Tungnath, Uttarakhand-GS04012022-7

[Gurcharan Singh]

I was surprised to see that our database has listing of this species, no images under the listing, although I had shared the 

the following post on June 1, 2014 under the Title 

My Flora Picture of the Year: Gurcharan Singh

This was my most prized catch of 2013 from above Tungnath in Uttarakhand on June 1, I had worked on Iris kemaonensis Wall. ex D. Don (I. kumaonensis in most earlier  Indian Books). and studied its confusion with I. hookeriana in most Indian Floras including Hooker's Flora of British India. The two species are very distinct at least in two major features:

1. I. hookeriana: aerial stems distinct longer than 10 cm; perianth tube less than 2 cm long.

2. I. kemaonensis: Aerial stems highly reduced, not longer than 10 cm (longer stemed I. kemaonensis var. caulescens Baker is now considered as synonym of I. hookeriana); perianth tube 5-8 cm long.

In 1972-73 I had studied nearly 700-800 herbarium specimens in various Indian Herbaria including the three major ones Calcutta, Dehradun and Lucknow and found that more than 90 % of specimens identified as I. kumaonensis actually belonged to I. hookeriana, and that former has much more restricted distribution than I. hookeriana, which is more widely distributed in W. Himalayas. I. kemaonensis is mostly restricted to areas of Uttarakhand and eastwards.

    I am uploading two photographs instead of one, to bring out the feature of a very long Perianth tube. 

Before that I had posted this message on June 22, 2012 to members who were about to go on a trip to Valley of Flowers

Iris kemaonensis is a species whose distribution is much confused with related but distinct species Iris hookeriana. The species I. kemaonensis is reported to occur in Valley of Flowers. Although the active flowering season of the species is June-July, the flowering may extend to August also. The members visiting the area may please keep track of it and get some good photographs to identify it clearly:

1. Photograph showing emergence of flowering stem from ground (is almost absent or short in Kemaonensis, a few cm).

2. Side view of flower to show perianth tube (tube like structure below the perianth lobes). it is 6-8 cm long and emerging from spathe bracts in I. kemaonensis, only 1.5-2.5 cm and hidden in I. hookeriana. You may get additional photograph after removing spathe bracts as I have done in I. variegata to show tube clearly.

3. Both species have bearded line on outer perianth lobes (falls).

Some some members get the true picture.   

I am now sharing some high resolution pictures of I. kemaonensis from above Tungnath, taken on 1-6-2013

Dr. Gurcharan Singh

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

https://www.gurcharanfamily.com/

[Gurcharan Singh]

One more image

Dr. Gurcharan Singh

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

https://www.gurcharanfamily.com/

On Tue, Jan 4, 2022 at 10:16 PM Gurcharan Singh <sing...@gmail.com> wrote:

One more image

Dr. Gurcharan Singh

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

https://www.gurcharanfamily.com/

[Gurcharan Singh]

One more

[Gurcharan Singh]

One more

Dr. Gurcharan Singh

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

https://www.gurcharanfamily.com/

[Gurcharan Singh]

one more

Dr. Gurcharan Singh

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

https://www.gurcharanfamily.com/

[Gurcharan Singh]

One more image

Dr. Gurcharan Singh

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

https://www.gurcharanfamily.com/

On Tue, Jan 4, 2022 at 10:15 PM Gurcharan Singh <sing...@gmail.com> wrote: