Further exploration of this plant leads me to think that this plant may be one described in Flora of British India (vol. 5, page 578) as Boehmeria platyphylla var. scabrella wedd, characterised by leaves rugose above and short erect subsimple spikes. This plant is treated as B. macrophylla var. * scabrella* (Wedd.) D G Long, with Leaf blade 4.5-7(-10) × 2-4(-6) cm, papery, abaxial surface with reticulate veins strongly raised, adaxial surface rugose, stiffly hispid, apex gradually acuminate as against var.*macrophylla * with Leaf blade 6.5-18 × 3.2-12 cm, often membranous, abaxial surface appressed strigose, reticulate veins slightly raised, adaxial surface sparsely strigose, apex long-cuspidate, 1.5-2 cm. Female spikes ± branched, nodding at apex.
It must be noted that var. *scabrella *together with Boehmeria longispica which is very similar to this and resembling our plant as seen in the link below are now considered as synonyms of Boehmeria japonica. http://findmeacure.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Boehmeria_longispica_in_Sendai_Japan.jpg Perhaps the crucial difference between B. macrophylla (uploaded already by me in separate thread and by Dinesh ji on FOI) has membranous leaves with long slender branched spikes and our above plant B. japonica characterised by thicker (papery) leaves, rugose above with raised veins and stiff erect unbranched spikes. I think my above plant should be *Boehmeria japonica* (L.f.) Miq. syn: B. macrophylla var. scabrella (Wedd.) Long; B. platyphylla var. scabrella Wedd.; B. longispica Steud. Please note that B. japonica is a polymorphic species with typical plants (see Flora China) having upper part of leaf with deep teeth. This would naturally change with inclusion of above synonyms as per The Plant List. Your comments please. -- Dr. Gurcharan Singh Retired Associate Professor SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ On Wed, Oct 12, 2011 at 3:52 PM, Bhatt Sweta <[email protected]> wrote: > Right Sir.... > > > On Wed, Oct 12, 2011 at 3:51 PM, Gurcharan Singh <[email protected]>wrote: > >> Please see details in my another mail on B. macrophylla. Several websites >> fall in this trap of confusion. >> >> -- >> Dr. Gurcharan Singh >> Retired Associate Professor >> SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 >> Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. >> Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 >> http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ >> >> On Wed, Oct 12, 2011 at 3:47 PM, Bhatt Sweta <[email protected]>wrote: >> >>> Ok Sirji.. >>> I was going through the supplement of Flowers of Himalaya and found >>> the resemblance ( Unfortunately do not have the main book right now, so >>> cant go through the description). >>> >>> However, few e sites have described it - >>> http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Boehmeria+macrophylla >>> >>> http://www.hear.org/pier/species/boehmeria_macrophylla.htm >>> >>> >>> Regards, >>> Shweta >>> >>> On Wed, Oct 12, 2011 at 3:39 PM, Gurcharan Singh <[email protected]>wrote: >>> >>>> Sweta ji >>>> I think the plant uploaded by me as B. macrophylla and one on Flowers >>>> of India (which are same) are much different from this plant. >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Dr. Gurcharan Singh >>>> Retired Associate Professor >>>> SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 >>>> Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. >>>> Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 >>>> http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ >>>> >>>> On Wed, Oct 12, 2011 at 3:30 PM, Bhatt Sweta <[email protected]>wrote: >>>> >>>>> Sir isnt B. macrophylla reported to have rugose leaves. >>>>> Also it is reported to grow till 3 m. >>>>> >>>>> Could there be geographical variations?! >>>>> >>>>> Regards, >>>>> Shweta >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Wed, Oct 12, 2011 at 3:10 PM, Gurcharan Singh >>>>> <[email protected]>wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Photographed from Tiger fall area on September 16, 2011, this plant >>>>>> is much more robust than B. macrophylla Hornem, a taller plant up to 1.5 >>>>>> m >>>>>> tall, leaves thicker and distinctly rugose on surface, the inflorescence >>>>>> axis is more rigid with globose larger cymose clusters. >>>>>> >>>>>> Any clues on identity please. >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> Dr. Gurcharan Singh >>>>>> Retired Associate Professor >>>>>> SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 >>>>>> Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. >>>>>> Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 >>>>>> http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> *Bhatt Shweta* >>>>> *Doctoral Research Student,* >>>>> M.S.U. >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> *Bhatt Shweta* >>> *Doctoral Research Student,* >>> M.S.U. >>> >>> >> >> >> >> > > > -- > *Bhatt Shweta* > *Doctoral Research Student,* > M.S.U. > >
