I.C. Hedge & A. Paton

Apparently only differing from Scutellaria petiolata in characters of stem indumentum:sparsely pruinose or glabrous below in Scutellaria nuristanica. The two species are also clearly disjunct.

Fl. Per.: July-September.

Holotype: Afghanistan, Nuristan: Ningalam to Darim, Neubauer 51: 1971 (W!).

Distribution: E. Afghanistan, Pakistan (Chitral/Dir).

We have maintained this as an independent species with considerable doubt. It is extremely closely allied to Scutellaria petiolata, but the very slight stem indumentum differences combined with the clear geographical disjunction and also the fact that there are other Afghan species that come into the problem (e.g. Scutellaria poliochlora Rech. f. & Edelb. and Scutellaria neubaueri Rech. f.) made us defer reducing it to, synonymy. It is possible that further collecting in Waziristan will yield specimens that completely break down the slender reasons for maintaining Scutellaria nuristanica.