Peter C. Hoch and Peter H. Raven

Circaea mollis sensu Maximowicz, non Sieb. & Zucc., Prim. Fl. Amur. 105. 1859; Circaea cardiophylla Makino, Bot. Mag. Tokyo 20: 42. 1906; Circaea bondinieri H. LJv., Bull. Acad. Geogr. Bot. 22: 224. 1912; nom. provis.; Circaea x hybrida Hand.-Mazz., Symb. Sin. 7: 605. 1933; Circaea kitagawae Hara, J. Jap. Bot. 10: 595. 1935.

Herbs, 2-15 dm tall, simple or branched above. Forming numerous subterranean non-tuberous rhizomes. Plants pubescent, often densely so, rarely the stem subglabrous, with villous, glandular and short recurved hairs, varying independently in density on different parts of the plant. Leaves ovate to broadly so, short acuminate, rounded to cordate at the base, margins denticulate to subentire, pubescent. Largest leaf blades 4-13 x 2.3-11 cm. Petioles 1-10 cm, pubescent. Pedicels 0.7-2 mm, pubescent, perpendicular to the axis of the raceme at anthesis. Bilocular ovary with soft, uncinate hairs. Floral tube 0.6-1 mm long. Sepals 2, 2-3.7 x 1.4-2 mm, pubescent abaxially, white or green, reflexed in flower. Petals 2, 1-2.4 x 1.2-3.1 mm, white, obcordate, the apical notch ½ or less the length of the petal. Stamens 2, spreading at anthesis, shorter than to equalling the style. Style erect, 3-5.5 mm. Mature fruit 3-3.9 x 1.8-3.3 mm, bilocular, 1 seed in each locule, very thickly lenticular to flattened pyriform, obliquely rounded to the pedicel, densely covered with stiff uncinate hairs. Fruiting pedicels reflexed. n = 11.

Lectotype: India, Kotgarh, J. F. Royle (LIV; photograph MO. Probable isolectotype: K).

Dry mesic slopes and well drained soils in mixed forests. Plants from Pakistan and Kashmir are highly variable in degree of pubescence, the stem varying between subglabrous and villous, and in the shape of the leaf base which may be rounded to cordate. 1800-3000 m. elev. Fl. Per.: Jul.-Aug. Fr. Per.: Aug.-Sept; Distribution: Northern Pakistan and Kashmir; central Nepal to northeastern China and south-eastern USSR; Japan; Taiwan.