Achyranthes bidentata from Dachhigam, Kashmir

[Gurcharan Singh]

Achyranthes bidentata Blume, Bijdr. 545. 1826

Branched herb, often reaching 1.5 m subglabrous or sparsely hairy; leaves elliptic-ovate to elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate, green, sparsely hairy to subglabrous; petiole 3-20 mm long; inflorescence scarcely 10 cm long in flower, elongating to up to 20 cm in fruit; bracteoles spiny 2-parted at base; pseudostaminode serrate or erose at apex.

(The species is quite distinct from A. aspera in which plants are generally less branched, densely hairs, leaves rounded or mucronate at apex, fruiting inflorescence often as long as 40 cm, bracteoles spiny and 2-winged at base, pseudostaminode fimbriate and ciliate at apex.)

Photographed from Dachhigam forest in Kashmir on July 30, growing in shade of shrubs and trees.
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Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/

[Balkar Arya]

Thanks Sir for pointing out differences between A aspera and bidentata

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Regards

Dr Balkar Singh
Head, Deptt. of Botany and Biotechnology
Arya P G College, Panipat
Haryana-132103
09416262964