Thank you for the information. I agree that images are not sufficient for the ID as these were taken long back when I did not have much idea about the plant photography
Thank you. Saroj Kasaju On Thu, Jan 5, 2017 at 2:43 PM, J.M. Garg <[email protected]> wrote: > 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 publications are 50 years out-of-date.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.
