Lepidium pinnatifidum from Kashmir

[Gurcharan Singh]

 Lepidium pinnatifidum Ledebour, Fl. Ross. 1: 206. 1841.

syn: Lepidium neubaueri Rech.f.

Annual or biennial herb up to 50 cm tall, simple below, branched above; basal leaves pinnatifid to pinnatipartite, shortly petiolate, upper elliptic-lanceolate to linear, lower toothed upper entire; flowers minute, sepals 0.7-0.8 mm long, petals almost half to 3/4 as long as sepals; stamens 4; fruit broadly elliptic to orbicular, 1.8-2 mm, pilose, not winged towards apex, apical notch obscure, less than 0.1 mm deep, style as long as notch.

The plant may be easily confused with L. apetalum in which also the basal leaves are pinnatipartite, but branches are clustered near the tip, petals are rudimentary or absent and fruit glabrous. The plants can also be confused with L. ruderale in which, however, plants are fetid, basal leaves are 2-3 pinnatisect, fruit glabrous, narrowly winged at apex.

Photographed from Balgarden, Srinagar, Kashmir growing along roadsides, photographed in June and July.

Tabish ji, this plant was earlier uploaded by me at Flowers of India wrongly under the name L. ruderale. Kindly incorporate the correction and incorporate close up of fruit showing pilose nature and apical notch.

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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]

A new Plant with all details thanks Sir for sharing

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Regards

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