The common pimpernel has confused both field workers and reputed authors
alike, but luckily the confusion seems to have been resolved more recently.
Carolus Linnaeus, the Father of Taxonomy described two closely related
species of Anagallis:
*Anagallis arvensis* L., the scarlet pimpernel with orange-scarlet to
scarlet flowers
*Anagallis caerulea* L., the blue pimpernel with blue flowers
The two are now treated as two varieties var. arvensis and var. caerulea
(L.) Gouan of Anagallis arvensis L.
Schreber, Spic. Fl. Lips. 5 1771 described a related species Anagallis
coerulea (note slight difference in spellings), also used by Lamarck, a
taxon that had been long treated as same var. caerulea of A. arvensis. It
was only in 1972 that Fergussen established it to be a synonym of a
distinct species Anagallis foemina Miller (1768). The plant List treats
this as Anagallis arvensis subsp. foemina (Mill.) Schinz & Thell. Important
to note that this taxon always has blue flowers. This is how the two
species can be differentiated:
*Anagallis arvensis
Anagallis foemina*
*(or Anagallis arvensis subsp. arvensis) (or
Anagallis arvensis subsp. foemina (Mill.) Schinz & Thell.)*
1. Flowers scarlet (var. arvensis) or blue (var. caerulea) 1.
Flowers blue
2. Pedicel in flower longer than subtending leaf. 2.
Pedicel in flower shorter or equal to the subtending leaf.
3. Sepals shorter than sepals especially in bud 3.
Sepals equalling or longer than petals especially in bud
4. Petal margins overlapping
4. Petal margins not overlapping
5. Petal margins with numerous hairs tipped with 5.
With few or no hairs, which if present have elongate
globose glands.
terminal cells.
Let us look for our blue pimpernel (blue flowered Anagallis) more closely
in light of above information to find its exact identity. Who knows we may
have both taxa in India.
--
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/
