Some Swertia species of NW Himalayas, and a Key to species-GS11012020-1
Gurcharan Singh
Some Beautiful Swertia species from Western Himalayas.
Here are some species clicked from Western Himalayas
A, B, a still unidentified species, perhaps a good material for young researchers, Deovan Herbal Garden, Chakrata, September 17, 2011.
C, D, S. cordata, Budher Caves Road, Chakrata, September 18, 2011.
E, F, S. angustifolia var. pulchella, Tiger Fall Area, Chakrata, September 18, 2011.
G, H, S. chirayita, Deovan Herbal Garden, Chakrata, September 17, 2011.
I, J, S. ciliata, Budher Caves Road, Chakrata, September 18, 2011.
K, L, S. paniculata, Budher Caves Road, Chakrata, September 18, 2011.
M, N, S. speciosa, Gulmarg, Kashmir, August 17, 2011.
Here is the key I have tried to construct for species represented in our databases efloroaofindia and Flowers of India. You may help me improve it.
1. Most flowers on a plant pentamerous.......................2
1. Most flowers on a plant Tetramerous.......................11
2. Nectary 1, naked.......................................................3
2. Nectaries 2, fimbriate................................................5
3. Cauline leaves ovate-cordate, less than twice as
long as broad................................................S. cordata
3. Caulinine leaves narrowly ovate to linear-lanceolate, more than twice as long as broad..............................4
4. Filaments free, corolla pale yellow, with narrow purple band above glands, leaves linear-lanceolate, usually
less than 10 mm broad......................S. paniculata Wall. (incl. S. dilatata Clarke)
4. Filaments connate into short tube at base, corolla pale purple with broad purple band near base, leaves ovate lanceolate, upto 2 cm broad................S. ciliata (D. Don ex G. Don) B. L. Burtt (syn: O. purpurascens Wallich ex D. Don)
5. Nectaries linear or oblong, vertical...............................5
5. Nectaries rounded to horse-shoe shaped, mostly near centre of lobes..............................................................7
6. Nectaries linear, near edges of lobes, with pilose fimbriae 2.5-3 mm long, corolla pale blue with darker veins, capsule 9-12 mm long.......................S. cuneata
6. Nectaries oblong, with a narrow scale and few long fimbriae, corolla white or pale blue, capsule 5-6 mm long.....................................................S. macrosperma
7. Leaves free at base, .................................S. tetragona
7. Leaves connate at base...............................................8
8. corolla lobes ovate, shorter than 8 mm, cauline leaves connate for less than 5 mm.........................S. thomsonii
8. Corolla lobes elliptic-oblong, longer than 8 mm...........9
9. Leaves alternate, Corolla lobes lurid green..S. alternifolia
9. Leaves opposite..........................................................10
10. Plants less than 60 cm tall, cauline leaves less than 2 cm broad, corolla lurid-grey to nearly white, seeds not winged..........................................................S. petiolata
10. Plants up to 1.5 m tall, cauline leaves 2-4 cm broad, corolla yellowish green with usually purple to blue veins, seeds winged.....................................S. speciosa
11. Nectary 1.....................................................................12
11. Nectaries 2..................................................................18
12. Nectary naked................................................S. hookeri
12. Nectary fimbriate........................................................13
13. Inflorescence corymbose...........................................14
13. Inflorescence elongate, paniculate.............................16
14. Leaves crowded, calyx lobes lanceolate, corolla lobes broadly oblong, white with blue nerves, nectary rounded covered with scale.........................S. densifolia
14. Leaves distant.............................................................15
15. Calyx lobes linear-lanceolate, corolla lobes ovate, nectary ovate watch-pocket shaped with 2 compound fimbriae................................................................S. lawii
15. Calyx lobes ovate, corolla white or lurid blue, lobes elliptic-obovate, nectary orbicular covered with oblong scale with fimbriate margin.........................S. beddomei
16. Leaves ovate-cordate, less than twice long as broad, stem mostly 4-winged, corolla lobes lurid-green or yellow-green with purple veins or dots...........S. alata
16. Leaves lanceolate or elliptic, more than twice as long as broad............................................................17
17. Leaves lanceolate to elliptic, corolla lobes yellow-green with purple veins, fimbriae papillose..............S. nervosa
17. Leaves narrowly lanceolate, corolla lobes white to greenish with purple dots, fimbriae minutely hairy..........................................................S. angustifolia (calyx lobes longer than corolla...var. angustifolia, 2/3 as long as corolla....var. pulchella)
18. Nectaries naked, corolla lurid green, lobes tinged purple...............................................................S. lurida
18. Nectaries fimbriate...................................................19
19. Corolla lobes ovate, greenish-yellow, cauline leaves connate......................................................S. thomsonii
19. Corolla lobes ovate acuminate, lurid green with purple base, cauline leaves free at base................S. chiryata
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Mob: 9810359089
Saroj Kasaju
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Mahadeswara
Gurcharan Singh
J.M. Garg
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J.M.Garg