S. NAZIMUDDIN AND M. QAISER

Erect, much branched shrub, 30-70 cm tall. Branches glabrous, scabrid or hispid, slender. Leaves 6-12 x 2.5 mm, linear, scabrid above, glabrous beneath, straight or recurved, midrib and nerves obscure; stipules triangular, thickened at margins with long pungent tips, 2-2.5 mm long. Rower purplish, c. 1 cm long; bracts whitish, c. 2.5 mm long. slightly bigger than calyx and almost equalling the capsule. Calyx glabrous; teeth lanceolate, ciliate at margin, c. 2 mm long. Corolla c. 8 mm long, pubescent, lobes c. 1 mm long, triangular. Capsule 3-3.5 mm, ± cylindrical. Seed with a few free fibres.

Fl. Per.: June-July.

Syntypes: Western Himalayas, 4-70W ft., from Murree, Falconer; To Kulu, Edgeworth; Salt range, Fleming (K).

Distribution: Western Himalayas, Pakistan (Hazara, Murree, Salt Range).

A fairly common species, reaching upto 2300 m, on dry stony soil.