Superb observations and presentation, Ashwini ji. On 24-Jan-2018 5:32 PM, "Ashwini Bhatia" <[email protected]> wrote:
> The following photographs of *Gentiana argentea* are taken this month at > about 1800m. On the same slope, next to this species, is another gentian *G. > pedicellata* (more on this later). The slope faces south and starts > receiving the sun at about 8am. The flowers of both species do not open > till about 9:30am when the sun has had time to warm the slopes > sufficiently. They also close around 3pm, an hour before the sun leave the > slope. It leads to the conclusion that *temperature plays a definite part > in the opening and closing timings of these gentians*. Further, on > overcast days, the flowers remain unopened and I have observed this for all > the three gentians currently in flower (the third being *G. capitata*). > > In my observations for the past three years, *G. argentea* flowers first > start appearing in late December to early January. By early March there are > a large number of these flowers on our slopes. I haven't observed closely > the time of their disappearance but I will strive to do so this year. > > *So our G. argentea appears in mid-winter and goes on till at least April*. > I made a few measurements of several plants to average out the dimensions: > > Flowers are 12mm across (ca 10mm tall) and are pale blue with yellow-green > throats. The line-markings are mostly light brown. Sepals, which reach more > than halfway up the corolla tube, have cartilaginous edges. The plant is > about 2-3cm tall with usually 2-4 branches emerging from the bottom. The > leaves are crowded on the stem (making the stem almost invisible), have > sharp apices and are recurved. I fail to see them as 'silvery'. > > The slope I have photographed them on is heavily grazed and perhaps most > herbs don't grow to their usual height. > > Most characteristics of our flowering plants meet that of *G. argentea* > but there is always a small possibility that the plant in question is a > different species or a variation. Please advise if possible from these > pictures whether I should be looking at another species. > > In the last photo, a sole flower of *G. pedicellata* is seen next to the > larger *G. argentea*. > > *Gentiana argentea* > 1800m approx > Near Dal Lake, Dharamshala, HP, > January, 2018. > > Thanks. > Ashwini > > > > -- > 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 email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- 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.
