M. QAISER
Hololachna Ehrenb.
Erect, decumbent or prostrate herbs or under shrubs, with many upright and flexuous branches. Leaves somewhat fleshy or succulent, flat or subterete not scale-like, often crowded, sessile or subsessile, entire, exstipulate. Inflorescence solitary axillary or terminal, sometimes racemosely arranged. Flowers bisexual, often showy, with many sepaloid bracts. Sepals 5, elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate, coriaceous or fleshy, persistent. Petals 5, broadly clawed, spreading, sometimes oblique, obtuse or slightly notched at the apex with 2 longitudinal fimbriate, toothed or entire appendages on the inside limb. Stamens nearly 70, free, more or less connate commonly into 5 phalanges, opposite the petals, inserted below the ovary, filaments subulate or filiform, persistent, anthers elliptic or subrounded, profoundly cordate. Ovary 3-5 valved, globose, styles 3-5, free, filiform or subulate, placenta septiform, erect from the base, reaching to the apex of the locules, 4-10 ovuled at the base. Capsule globose or ellipsoid, dehiscing by 3-5 valves. Seeds erect, densely covered all along with brownish spreading hairs; endosperm minute, cotyledons ovate with short radicle.
In most of the floras and revisions of the genus there is much divergence as to species delimitation. The number of valid binomials recorded in Index Kewensis up to 1972 for Reaumuria is 30. Gorshkova (1949) accepted 22 species, while Bobrov (1966 recognized only 12 species.
On the whole the genus is Irano-Turanian, chiefly distributed in Iran, Central Asia and Middle East. In Pakistan, it is represented by 5 taxa.
Doubtful Taxon
Reaumuria palaestina var. acuminate Blatt. & Hallb. in J. Ind. Bot. Soc. 1:87. 1919.
According to Blatter & Hallberg (l.c.) this taxon is “distinct from its type race by its bare twigs, sharp leaves with its petals topping the calyx lobes a little”.
Type: 27 miles north of Oranch, 2400 ft, Sept. 1917, Gorrok 327 (BLAT n.v.).
The type of this taxon is presently untraceable and inspite of the repeated attempts I failed to collect this taxon from the type locality. Hence, I have presently retained it as a doubtful taxon.
