YASIN J. NASIR

A stoloniferous plant, forming loose to ± compact mats, with dichotomous branching. Stolons slender, c. 1 mm broad, chesnut brown, older ones a bit darker. Leaf rosettes 3-6 mm broad, globose, at intervals of 9-13 mm apart or sometimes almost columnar. Leaves quite isomorphic, carinate, pubescent-villous on the lower surface only; outermost leaves 2.8-4 x 1.1-1.5 mm, broad lanceolate, drying an ash-grey to dark brown; inner leaves 2.1-4.5 mm, lanceolate, incurved, longer hairs 0.29-1.07 mm x 14.7-28.1 u, dirty white or with a rusty tinge, articulate; shorter hairs glandular-stipitate, sparse. Scape up to 8 mm long, but usually very short or obsolete, 1-2-flowered. Bracts 2, lanceolate-obtuse, 2-4.5 mm long, more than or equalling the pedicel; pedicel (1.5-) 2-3 mm long, glandularvillous. Flowers white with a yellow eye. Calyx 2.2-3 mm long, ½ cleft, villous; lobes lanceolate-obtuse. Corolla limb 6-7 mm broad, lobes 2.4-2.6 mm long, obtuse, sometimes slightly lobed. Ovary globose depressed, style c. 1 mm long, stigma capitate. Capsule subglobose and equalling the calyx. Seeds 2-3, angular ovoid, c. 1.5 mm long, dark brown, vesiculose.

Fl. Per.: June-July.

Holotype: ‘voyage de V. Jacquemont aux Indes Orient’, Jacquem. 9887 (P! iso. G!).

Distribution: N.W. Himalaya in Kashmir, upper Hazara-Gilgit area and portion of Ladak (N.W. & W.).

The species is fairly common in the alpine zone in Kashmir from 2200-5182 m. Typically it is characterised by its dichotomous habit, with small globose rosettes at intervals of 9-13 mm apart. However compact forms may occur where the rosettes are fairly close together and may present a ± columnar arrangement of. leaves (R.R. & I.D. Stewart’s collection from the Gangabal lakes and the Zoji pass). The leaves do not exceed 4.5 mm in length and are incurved, and with a brownish-white indument on the lower surface especially. The scape is ordinarily very short or obsolete and 1-2-flowered.