Swertia_spp-TQ04

[Tabish]

Unidentified Swertia species.
Herb
Dhanaulti, Uttarakhand - 2,300 m above sea level.
Photographed in early October.
 Please identify
 - Tabish
----------------------------------------------------
 http://www.flowersofindia.net
 The Waterhole of Flower Lovers

[Gurcharan Singh]

Resurfacing again for ID

-- 
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/ 

[Tabish]

I believe this is *Swertia cordata*, which has the following characteristics:
Stem leaves are stalkless, ovate to ovate-heart-shaped, 0.8-2.3 cm
long, 0.5-1.2 cm broad, base heart-shaped and nearly stem-clasping,
margin rough, tip pointed, veins 3-5.
Flowers are borne in narrow, dense, many-flowered thyrses 13-40 cm.
Flowers are 5-merous. Sepals are lanceshaped to ovate-lanceshaped,
5.5-7 mm long, margin rough and usually slightly curled, tip pointed.
Flowers are white, with purple veins, 1-1.5 cm in diameter. Petals are
narrowly elliptic to elliptic-lanceshaped, 0.8-1 cm long, tip pointed.
At the base of each petal, is a circular greenish, viscous spot.

All these characteristics agree well with my plant.
- Tabish

[Tabish]

In additions to this, stems of Swertia cordata are supposed to be 4-
angled, with wings on angles. Narrow wings can be seen on the stem in
the 2nd image.
- Tabish

On Oct 28, 12:33 am, Tabish <tabi...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I believe this is *Swertia cordata*, which has the following characteristics:
>  Stem leaves are stalkless, ovate to ovate-heart-shaped, 0.8-2.3 cm
> long, 0.5-1.2 cm broad, base heart-shaped and nearly stem-clasping,
> margin rough, tip pointed, veins 3-5.
> Flowers are borne in narrow, dense, many-flowered thyrses 13-40 cm.
> Flowers are 5-merous. Sepals are lanceshaped to ovate-lanceshaped,
> 5.5-7 mm long, margin rough and usually slightly curled, tip pointed.
> Flowers are white, with purple veins, 1-1.5 cm in diameter. Petals are
> narrowly elliptic to elliptic-lanceshaped, 0.8-1 cm long, tip pointed.
> At the base of each petal, is a circular greenish, viscous spot.
>
> All these characteristics agree well with my plant.
>    - Tabish
>

[Dr Pankaj Kumar]

Thanks a lot for the detailed information. This had long been stuck in
our throat!!
Pankaj