4. Epilobium parviflorum Schreber, Spicil. Fl. Lips. 146, 155. 1771; Boiss., Fl. Or. 2: 746. 1872; Clarke in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 584. 1879; Hausskn., Monogr. Epil. 66, t. I fig.21.1884; H. LJv., Ic. Gen. Epil. t. 232. 1911; Shteinb. in Schischk. & Bobr., Fl. URSS 15: 435. 1949; Raven, Bull. Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist.) Bot. 2: 353. 1962; Raven in Rech.f., Fl. Iran. 7: 7. 1964; Raven, Bothalia 9: 315. 1967; Raven in Tutin et al., Fl. Eur. 2: 309. 1968; Chamberlain & Raven in Davis, Fl. Turkey 4: 187. 1972; Stewart, Ann. Cat. Vasc. Pl. W. Pak. & Kashm. 507, 1972; Raven & Raven, New Zealand Dep. Sci. Ind. Res. Bull. 216: 86. 1976.
Peter C. Hoch and Peter H. Raven
Epilobium vestitum Benth. ex Wall., Numer. List 216, n. 6327. 1832, nom. nud.; Epilobium parviflorum Schreber var. vestitum (Benth. ex Wall.) Clarke in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 584. 1879. Type: Nepal, Sheopuri Hill, near Rivulet Rocks, N of Katmandu, 1821, Wallich 6327 (BM, K).
Erect robust perennial herb, perennating by short-stalked basal leafy rosettes; stems 0.2-1.6 m tall, well-branched, covered with spreading villous hairs, mixed especially on the inflorescence with short gland-tipped hairs, with strigillose hairs on raised lines decurrent from the base of the petioles, the lower stem rarely subglabrous. Leaves narrow lanceolate to narrow ovate, 2.5-12 x 0.5-3.5 cm, villous pubescent, sometimes sparsely so on the upper stem, denticulate, acute at apex, cuneate or rounded at base, subsessile. Inflorescence erect and branched. Flowers erect; ovaries dense villous and glandular pubescent, 1.2-4 cm long, on pedicels 0.2-1.3 cm long. Sepals 2-6 x 1-2.1 mm, acute and keeled, covered with villous and glandular hairs. Petals 3.2-9 x 2.7-4.8 mm, deeply notched, rose-purple to pink, rarely white. Style 2.1-4.8 mm long. Stigma 4-lobed and spreading, often surrounded by dehiscing anthers. Capsule 3.5-8 cm long, covered with villous and glandular hairs, on pedicels 0.6-1.8 cm long. Seeds 0.8-1 x 0.4-0.5 mm, blunt obovoid with rounded base, coarse papillose, the chalazal collar virtually absent; coma 5-6 mm long, dull white, easily detached.
Type from Europe.
Epilobium parviflorum is one of the species of Epilobium in the flora region with a very wide distribution in western Eurasia (cf. Raven, 1962). As is true of many of the most common species, it grows often in disturbed places and in a wide range of habitats. It is one of the few species in the genus found in Baluchistan, south of the main Himalayan axis. Fl. Per.: Jul-Sep (-Nov). Fr. Per.: Aug-Oct (-Nov); Distribution: Europe to western China and North Africa; not common in the Himalayan region, especially in the east; adventive in North America and New Zealand.
