Alok, Dr Singh is correct that it is an Androsace and not a Primula. *However, it does not tally with what I understand to be Androsace foliosa. Instead, I consider it to be Androsace studiosorum.*
I have not seen A.foliosa in the wild. I did not come across it in the main Kashmir Valley (not sure if it grows there as Stewart gives no records) but as I frequently passed through or by-passed altogether the elevations where it grows, would probably have missed it anyhow. The altitude that you say you found it is a major problem in that Stewart had no records of A.foliosa anywhere near such high elevations. Nasir in Primulaceae for Flora of Pakistan says it is fairly common in the NW Himalaya, found in forest shade and clearings from 2300-3200m. This just does not fit. And given the written description and line drawing provided, this does not tally either. The images on the Androsace world site are only of cultivated specimens (the provenance is not given) but they do not fit either with the specimen photographed. I am speculating that part of the confusion has arisen from the clump you took containing foliage which superficially might appear similar to the leaves of A.foliosa is probably those of Bistorta affinis - a gregarious plant at 4500m. The true rosette can be seen to have rather different foliage. This foliage and the head of flowers looks like it may well be what I knew as Androsace primuloides but is now *Androsace studiosorum.* This is close to Androsace sarmentosa - which is typically an Eastern Himalayan species. The range of the two seems to overlap in Himachal Pradesh. In Lahoul you find A.studiosorum such as in the Miyah Nullah. Kletter & Kreichbaum within 'Tibetan Medicinal Plants' discussed the problems attempting to distinguish between A.studiosorum and A.sarmentosa concluding it has not been satisfactorily resolved. They ended up calling the material they found on the Rohtang as Androsace aff. sarmentosa. Stewart records Androsace studiosorum from 3300-4200m in Kashmir where it is common, so 4500m Pangi-side is not out-of-the-question. He did not record Androsace sarmentosa in Kashmir. Flowers of the Himalaya under the old name of Androsace primuloides (now A.studiosorum) considered it was endemic to Kashmir but this is incorrect; it is known from Lahoul and Baltistan as well and perhaps elsewhere but difficult to know beyond these places due to uncertainty between the two species. You can see a hairy stolon developing in the clump that was dug up - these tend to be more prominent in A.studiosorum cf. A.sarmentosa, which supports my suggested identification. On Monday, January 23, 2012 at 3:54:43 PM UTC, Alok Mahendroo wrote: > Dear friends, > A member of the Primula family... I thought to be Primula macrophylla... > but is it...?? > > Location Pangi valley, Himachal > Altitude 4500 mts > Habit herb > Habitat wild > Height - 6 inches > Season July August > > regards > Alok > > -- > Himalayan Village Education Trust > Village Khudgot, > P.O. Dalhousie > District Chamba > H.P. 176304, India > > www.hivetrust.wordpress.com > www.forwildlife.wordpress.com > > http://mushroomobserver.org/observer/observations_by_user?_js=on&_new=true&id=2186 > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "efloraofindia" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
