Rosaceae Week: Duchesnea indica from Kashmir

[Gurcharan Singh]

 Duchesnea indica (Andrews) Focke, H. G. A. Engler & K. A. E. Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. 3(3):33. 1888 

Syn: Fragaria indica Andrews

Common names: false strawberry, Indian-strawberry, mock strawberry, yellow-flowered strawberry

Perennial spreading herb with long stolons; leaves trifoliate, hairy on both surfaces, leaflets obovate to rhombic-oblong, up to 4 cm long, margin serrate; flower 1.5-2 cm across, yellow; epicalyx 3-lobed at apex; petals oblong-obovate, slightly longer than sepals; carpels free, numerous; fruit fleshy, red, up to 1.5 cm across; 

Fruits are attractive but deceptive, being totally tasteless to eat. Very Common in Kashmir valley in forest shade and wet slopes.

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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]

Nice Catch Sir

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Regards

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