This is a new 'species' for me but I am doubtful it is *S.inversa* on the basis of the image taken in Paddar Valley named as such on the FOI site see: http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Inverse%20Snow%20Lotus.html which is presumably where the provisional name came from matching with? Not recorded from Ladakh or known in Stewart's day (assuming it is found in W.Himalaya). Not in 'Enumeration of Flowering Plants of Nepal'. Many 'new' species have been described in the Himalaya in recent decades - a complicated genus (like so many).
As for existing species, there is much confusion between *S.simpsoniana* and *S.gossypiphora* in the W.Himalaya. As two of our members named the image on the FOI site they are in a much better position to comment further, especially as I do not recognise these images or the one from the Paddar Valley but the images do not come close to me. Just noticed that an article on Research Gate, see: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272383552_The_genus_Saussurea_Compositae_Cardueae_in_China_Taxonomic_and_nomenclatural_notes states that *S.sorocephala* var. glabrata is raised to specific rank as *S.inversa*. Stewart had *S.sorocephala* Schrenk as a synonym of *S.gnaphalodes* (which is common in Laadkh); he thought this variety seemed to be the same as *S.hypsipeta* Diels (yet does not list this species in his Catalogue) and probably should be considered only to be a glabrate form. *Saussurea hypsipeta* is listed by Dickore & Klimes from Ladakh - there is an excellent image of it by our member Miroslav: http://www.butbn.cas.cz/ladakh/fotky/flora/subnival_eng.html. Clearly, Miroslav may be able to comment in a more informed way than me. On Thursday, 6 October 2016 18:18:39 UTC+1, raj wrote: > Dear All, > > Saussurea inversa for validation. Photo taken just after crossing Lipulekh > pass (China border) on Aug 27, 2016. Height approx 15000 feet. > > -- > With Regards, > Narendra Joshi > -- 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 indiantreepix+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send an email to indiantreepix@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
