Yes, Dr Rawat, Moorcroft's Campion inhabits 'Tibetan Borderland' districts but
Stewart recordsit as very common in Kashmir with specimens from Sonamarg, Zoji
La (which are close to Ladakh)but also Gulmarg.
He also had records from Kurram, Chitral, Swat, Astor, Baltistan, Purig, Hazara
- so very much a NW Himalayanalpine' to 'higher alpine' species as well.
There are records for S.moorcroftiana in Nepal and Tibet plus Afghanistan.
As Stewart correctly stated the Silene-Lychnis complex is complicated.
I note he had Silene cashmeriana Majumdar as Lychnis cashmeriana Royle ex
Benth, common in N.Pakistan& Kashmir @ 1500-3600m.
See:
https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/species/a---l/c/caryophyllaceae/silene/silene-cashmeriana
Yet another 'difficult' genus which requires attention (and no doubt further
revision).
At some point I hope to take a closer look at the postings for this genus on
eFI but SO MANY waiting forattention.
To cover all the genera, IN AN INITIAL/PRELIMINARY way, on the eFI site with
representatives from the Himalaya (if I worked full-time and did NOTHING else)
would take MONTHS if not YEARS.
And should I be prioritising this above LOTS of other tasks I could be doing
including compiling an up-to-date Florafor Ladakh (indeed perhaps the whole of
the NW Himalaya, most likely excluding Uttarakhand, as 'Kashmir' and'Himachal
Pradesh' territory is MORE THAN ENOUGH....
Indeed, should I begin devoting time to plants found in Uttarakhand at all or
Nepal or Sikkim?
At present, it does not seem likely that I shall be in a position to continue
contributing other than on a MUCH-REDUCEDbasis for much longer. Pity, as lots
to do and SHARE.
There are e.g. 11 Silene listed in 'Flora of Lahaul-Spiti' some of which are
new to me (and not listed by Stewart)....
Best Wishes,
Chris Chadwell
81 Parlaunt Road
SLOUGH
SL3 8BE
UK
www.shpa.org.uk
From: D.S Rawat <[email protected]>
To: efloraofindia <[email protected]>
Cc: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, 13 December 2016, 11:16
Subject: Re: Silene moorcroftiana
S.moorcroftiana seems to be a species of arid subalpines and alpines in Western
Himalaya. It is also known in Uttarakhand but rarely collected. Since I have
not visited any arid alpine zone in Uttarakhand not seen this species in
nature. There is one another species which is often wrongly identified as
S.moorcroftiana in Indian herbaria. The exact ID is yet to be ascertained of
this misidentified species.
DSRawat Pantnagar
On Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 4:17:28 PM UTC+5:30, JM Garg wrote:
Thanks, Chadwell ji---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "C CHADWELL" <chrischadwell261@btinternet. com>
Date: 13 Dec 2016 1:42 pm
Subject: Silene moorcroftiana
To: "J.M. Garg" <[email protected]>
Cc:
I am surprised that Moorcroft's Campion, honouring William Moorcroft, is not on
eFI,given how common it is in Kashmir and also Ladakh.
My team collected this during the University of Southampton Ladakh Expedition
in 1980at Rangdum, Suru Valley, 4235m, mountain slope, N-facing, stony ground,
dry sandy 'soil'with grasses. To 25cm, calyx elongated, stripped
reddish-brown, petals white with reddish-brown veins underneath. In clumps. A
duplicate pressed specimen was deposited in the herbarium at the University of
Kashmir.
The 1981 Southampton University Botanical Expedition to Zanskar found it at
Padam -occasional in dry stony soil of valley floor.
Klimes found it in dry habitats - screes, rocky crevices & walls.
Flowers of Himalaya says it is found on rocky slopes & wastelands, common in
dry areas fromAfghanistan to Central Nepal @ 2700-4500m.
Stewart recorded it as very common in the Kashmir Valley and in Ladakh @
2400-4800m.
Flora of Lahual-Spiti found this frequent on dry slopes and in rock crevices,
often forming largeclumps.
Dickore & Klimes list 10 species of Silene for Ladakh.
Stewart observed that the Lychnis-Silene complex would be a suitable Ph.D.
thesis for an ambitiousstudent. The synonymy is difficult and too many new
names have been proposed.
See: http://photos.v-d-brink.eu/ Flora-and-Fauna/Asia/Pakistan- new/i-wjg94bm
photographed in Baltistanand the previous image illustrating it growing as a
clump.
I attach an image photographed in Ladakh on my behalf scanned in from a slide.
Best Wishes,
Chris Chadwell
81 Parlaunt Road
SLOUGH
SL3 8BE
UK
www.shpa.org.uk
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