R. orientalis Hook.f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 5: 58. 1890 p.p. nec Bernh. 1830.

Perennial with tap root, plant often tinged purplish. Stem strict, erect, 40-80 (-110) cm high, sometimes flexuous, with short arcuate-erect flowering and fruting branches, not fasciculate, unbranched, forming a rather narrow condensed fruiting panicle. Basal leaves not known; lower stem leaves with short petiole, up to 15 x 4 cm, lanceolate, broadest in the middle, shrotly tapering towards the base, longer towards the apex, with ± indistinctly cordate base, flat; stem leaves gradually smaller and with short petioles, uppermost subtending the lowest inflorescence branches sometimes narrowly linear. Flower whorls many-flowered, all very densely congested. Pedicels very thin, equalling or up to 1.5 times longer than the valves, indistinctly articulate below the middle. External perianth segments 1.5 mm long, appressed to the base of the valves. Valves about 5 mm long and broad, very finely reticulate, orbiculate-cordate, entire or subentire, grainless or the anterior sometimes with a very small grain. Nut ± 2.5 mm long, pale brown, subequally attenuate at boath ends.

Holotype: Kashmir: Lamaruju (Lamayuru), Koelz 6219 (US !).

Distribution: Ladakh, W. Xizang, Indus Valley, Kashmir, Chitral and Afghanistan.

R. angulatus is a close relative of R.longifolius DC. and R. pseudonatronatus Borb.; both are northern species.