Thanks, Chadwell ji. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: C CHADWELL <[email protected]> Date: 5 January 2017 at 14:12 Subject: Identifying Taraxacums - a SERIOUS challenge! To: "J.M. Garg" <[email protected]>
I think it is important to emphasise just how CHALLENGING dandelions (as they are commonly known as in the UK) are to identify. Grierson & Springate within 'Flora of Bhutan' Vol 2 Part 3 (2001) observed, "*Taraxacum in our area* *consists of sexually producing and apomictic taxa. The latter in particular are poorly understood at* *present. Specimens not closely corresponding to the descriptions given here can only be identified to* *the appropriate section. Lawn weeds and other damaged specimens often produce uncharacteristic * *growth that cannot be reliably identified. Unlobed leaves are sometimes produced in summer. A* *specimen that only bear such leaves cannot be reliably identified".* They list both T.mitalii and T.eriopodum. Enumeration of the Flowering Plants of Nepal had most of the specimens determined by the authority of the time, van Soest author of 'Taraxacum species from India, Pakistan & surrounding countries' (1963) and 'New species of Taraxacum from the Himalayan region (1961) but these publications are 50 years out-of-date. Stewart in 'An Annotated Catalogue of the Vascular plants of Pakistan & Kashmir' (1972) comments: *'Dandelions are found throughout West Pakistan and Kashmir from the plains to the high inner ranges with a * *Tibetan climate. They are exceedingly variable apomicts and it is a question whether they deserve descriptions* *as good species. At least 90 of these forms have been described and if one wants to pay special attention to* *dandelions there are probably many more to be found. Van Soest, after a recent trip to Kashmir has described* *many new species... I give the following list which I have culled from literature. Many have not been seen by me.* *Some would include most of them under T.officinale Weber (a species aggregate)'*. He records T.eriopodum from Baltistan & Kashmir @ 2700-3600m. *In the UK, where the genus has been more intensively studied, it is judged as VERY CRITICAL with (as of 1997)* *229 microspecies being currently recognised! Apomixis is the rule. Professor Stace states in 'New Flora of the* *British Isles' that in this work the microspecies are not treated in full but are aggregated into 9 rather ill-defined* *sections, determination of which is often not easy EVEN AFTER MUCH EXPERIENCE.* *Most botanists in the UK seek the help of those with specialist knowledge and experience of the genus.* *Taraxacum is NOT well enough known in the Himalaya to do more than HIGHLY PROVISIONALLY name specimens.* *Perhaps there is a current specialist who can be consulted but even if they exist, may well NOT be able to reliably* *identify from just one or two general photos.* Best Wishes, Chris Chadwell 81 Parlaunt Road SLOUGH SL3 8BE UK www.shpa.org.uk -- With regards, J.M.Garg 'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna' <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1> Winner of Wipro-NFS Sparrow Awards 2014 for efloraofindia <https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/award-for-efloraofindia>. For identification, learning, discussion & documentation of Indian Flora, please visit/ join our Efloraofindia Google e-group <https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/indiantreepix> (largest in the world- around 2700 members & 2,40,000 messages on 31.3.16) or Efloraofindia website <https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/> (with a species database of more than 11,000 species & 2,20,000 images). The whole world uses my Image Resource <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:J.M.Garg> of more than a thousand species & eight thousand images of Birds, Butterflies, Plants etc. (arranged alphabetically & place-wise). You can also use them for free as per Creative Commons license attached with each image. Also author of 'A Photoguide to the Birds of Kolkata & Common Birds of India'. -- 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.
