Dear Tapas
Unfortunately, this is a challenging genus and requires serious investigation.
I have literally dozens of generawaiting for my attention to scrutinize them
further. The situation is complicated by me having fewer reference works
to-handand less knowledge/familiarity with the flora of the Eastern Himalaya.
As to the suggestion A.laciniatum it seems this is no longer an accepted name
according to 'The Plant List'. Currentlyunder A.heterophylloides. According
to 'Flora of Bhutan' this species is found on grassy alpine slopes and among
shrubs @ 3500-4570m in Sikkim & Bhutan.
I cannot readily access reliable images or shots of herbarium specimens of this
species.
Will be in touch when can devote the necessary time and concentration to this
or come across a fresh source of information.
I see nobody else has volunteered any suggestions.
Best Wishes,
Chris Chadwell
81 Parlaunt Road
SLOUGH
SL3 8BE
UK
www.shpa.org.uk
From: Tapas Chakrabarty <[email protected]>
To: C CHADWELL <[email protected]>
Cc: J. M. Garg <[email protected]>; efloraofindia
<[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, 1 November 2016, 5:20
Subject: Re: [efloraofindia:254056] Re: Aconitum heterophyllum [?]
(Ranunculaceae) from North Sikkim.
There is a new suggestion - Aconitum laciniatum
On Oct 19, 2016 00:10, "Tapas Chakrabarty" <[email protected]> wrote:
Thank you once again Sir.Regards,Tapas.
On Tue, Oct 18, 2016 at 9:14 PM, Tapas Chakrabarty <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear Sir,Thank you.The photograph was taken from a plant near Thangu, North
Sikkim at about 4000 m altitude.This key belongs to an unpublished manuscript
on the Flora of Sikkim and the family Ranunculaceae is authored by R. C.
Srivastava, ex Scientist of Botanical Survey of India.it is indeed well known
that the keys to the taxa of certain plant families should be prepared by
supplementary field observations as well.Regards, Tapas.
On Tue, Oct 18, 2016 at 8:08 PM, C CHADWELL <[email protected] om>
wrote:
Dear Tapas
Thanks for sending the key. Would you let me know which publication this comes
from?
Would you also please provide an approx. altitude and general location where
you took your photos?Such information is important and should always accompany
any images of any genus sent foridentification.
I do have the key in 'Flora of Bhutan' Vol 1 Part 2 (1984), which covers Sikkim
as well but clearly the knowledge of the genus in the E.Himalaya has advanced
since then.
One must always use keys with caution. They are difficult to prepare and
inevitably imperfect. They canserve a useful purpose in narrowing down the
most likely candidates but even so.
A major problem is that most are mostly prepared from a limited number of
dried, pressed herbarium specimens -the characteristics of living/fresh
specimens is often not known by herbarium taxonomists.
The detail one can see in photos - not matter how close-up they are (and yours
are not) is often inadequateand/or requires inspect of both flowers and fruit,
which seldom are available together.
Best Wishes,
Chris Chadwell
81 Parlaunt Road
SLOUGH
SL3 8BE
UK
www.shpa.org.uk
From: Tapas Chakrabarty <[email protected]>
To:
Cc: efloraofindia <[email protected] m>; J.M. Garg
<[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, 18 October 2016, 9:04
Subject: Re: [efloraofindia:254056] Re: Aconitum heterophyllum [?]
(Ranunculaceae) from North Sikkim.
Thank you Chadwell ji,There are 12 species of Aconitum recorded for Sikkim. I
have no knowledge in this group.Someone gave me a Key to the species in Sikkim
which I am furnishing below thinking that it may be of some use.Regards,Tapas.
| 1a. | Climbing or twining herbs
2. A. elwesiii
|
| b. | Erect herbs
2 |
| 2a. | Annual herbs with slender tap roots; carpels 9 – 12
5. A. gymnandrum |
| b. | Perennial or biennial herbs, usually with a paired tap root; carpels
3 – 5 (-8) 3 |
| 3a. | Inflorescences 1 – 4-flowered
10. A. naviculare |
| b. | Inflorescences many-flowered
4 |
| 4a. | Perennial herbs
11. A. novoluridum |
| b. | Biennial herbs
5 |
| 5a. | Petals hispid or hispidulous
6 |
| b. | Petals glabrous
9 |
| 6a. | Carpels glabrous, drying black
4. A. gammiei |
| b. | Carpels pubescent
7 |
| 7a. | Carpels 3 (-4 – 5)
8. A. laciniatum |
| b. | Carpels 5
8 |
| 8a. |
Uppermost sepal horizontal, conspicuously beaked; carpels densely yellow
velutinous
9. A. nakaoi
|
| b. |
Uppermost sepal oblique, shortly beaked; carpels sparsely pubescent to glabrous
6. A. heterophylloides |
| 9a. |
Carpels glabrous
1. A. bisma
|
| b. |
Carpels pubescent
10
|
| 10a. |
Leaves from hypogynous base of stem
7. A. hookeri
|
| b. |
Leaves basal and cauline
11
|
| 11a. |
Bracteoles linear, entire; flowers dirty blue; petal head ca 6 mm long
3. A. ferox
|
| b. |
Bracteoles broad, dentate; flowers deep blue; petal head ca 10 mm long
12. A. spicatum
|
On Mon, Oct 17, 2016 at 11:12 PM, [email protected] m
<[email protected] om> wrote:
I can say with certainty that this is definitely not Aconitum heterophyllum -
a species not found in the E.Himalaya. I had delayed in sending an initial
response in hope that some else would name it!
My knowledge of Eastern Himalayan flora is much less with relatively few plant
explorations in the region. I have not been into Sikkim proper.
Aconitum is not an easy genus; I see there are a number of images of specimens
of this genus photographed in Sikkim on efi site which have not be identified
yet. Another task awaiting to take a close look at all these! Clearly there
is no expert on the genus currently available? There are quite a number of
species to consider. I could say it was similar to one or two species but need
time to look into the E.Himalayan representatives further. Some 20+ species
recorded from Bhutan & Sikkim - though one can readily eliminate most of these.
Shall wait further just in case there is anyone out there who can come to our
assistance?
On Sunday, October 9, 2016 at 6:05:01 PM UTC+1, tchakrab wrote:
Kindly look at the attachments. This is fairly common there.Regards,Tapas.
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