3. Minuartia L., Sp. Pl. 89. 1753. Gen. Pl. ed. 5. 39. 1954; Mattfeld in Feddes Rep. Beih, 15,1922; Schischkin in Kom., Fl. URSS, 6:482. 1936; NcNeill in Notes, R.B.G.Edinb. 24:241-404.1963; Halliday in Tutin et al., Fl. Eur. 1:125. 1964; McNeill in Davis, Fl. Turk. 2:38. 1967.
SHAHINA A. GHAZANFAR & YASIN J. NASIR
By S.A. Ghazanfar
Annual or perennial, often caespitose herbs. Leaves narrowly lanceolate, linear-subulate or setaceous, usually 3-veined (in our species). Inflorescence Insole, few to many flowered. Sepals 5, free, usually strongly 3-nerved. Petals, 5, entire or sometimes retuse. Stamens 10, the outer whorl with obscure basal glands. Styles 3. Capsule dehiscing by 3 valves. Seeds smooth or tuberculate.
A genus of 120 species, predominantly distributed in the north temperate regions. Represented in Pakistan by 6 species.
Species doubtfully recorded or Indet.
Minuartia verna (L.) Hiern in J. Bot. 38:320.1899; Schischkin in Kom., Fl. USSR. 6:505.1936; McNeill in Davis, Fl. Turk. 2:53.1967.
Arenaria verna L., Mant. 1:72.1767; Arenaria paniculata Bunge in Ledeb., Fl. Alt. 2:68.1.800; Stewart, Ann. Cat. Vasc. Pl. W. Pak. & Kashm. 239.1972.
Tufted perennial. Stems numerous, branched, with many leafy sterile shoots. Flowering stems 3-10 cm, erect, glandular-pubescent. Leaves linear to subulate or spathulate. Flowers 1-3. Sepals ovate, 3-nerved. Petals slightly exceeding the sepals, elliptic to suborbicular, with a short claw. Capsule only slightly exceeding the calyx.
Type: Described from the mountains of S. Europe, Hb. Linn. 583/30 & 31 (LINN).
Distribution: N.C. & S. Europe, C. & E. Asia, N. America.
Reported from Chitral by Stewart l.c. (Chitral, 7000', Harriss 15923). Arenaria paniculata Bunge (Syn.) was orginally described from Altai and it is quite likely species is found in the Chitral area, but we have not seen any material.
Minuartia sp.
Stems erect, sparsely glandular-pubescent. Leaves 5-10 mm, linear-subulate, 3-nerved. Bracts glandular pubescent at the base. Flowers usually 3, in dichasia. Pedicel glandular pubescent, filiform longer than the calyx. Calyx campanulate. Sepals c. 4 mm, ovate-lanceolate, acute, sparsely glandular, 3-nerved with a scarious margin. Petals oblong, 1½ times the length of the calyx. Capsule ovoid, long or slightly longer than the calyx. Seeds brown, c. 0.7 mm, finely tuberculate.
The plant has been collected from Baluchistan sine. loc. (date 10.11.50, RAW; PPFI-B) and is distinct from the other two species, Minuartia meyeri and Minuartia picta found in Baluchistan. More material is required to ascertain its status.
