*I currently cannot put a firm name on this - shall comment further in due course. I do consider it is part of the G.collinum-pratense-himalayense* *alliance (see below) but definitely not with what I understand to be G.himalayense from Ladakh.*
I do have some images of Geranium pratense taken in the UK earlier this year which it might be worthwhile me posting for comparison purposes - accepting that Nasir recognised subspecies stewartianum. Let me try to explain. In the Notes Yeo supplied me, he draws attention to the problematical G.collinum-pratense-himalayense alliance. He considered this was particularly critical in the NW Himalaya with high quality pressed specimens needed (nowadays these can be supplemented and sometimes replaced by high quality digital images (provided the advice given below is followed). This alliance has pink to blue flowers (sometimes white) in which the stamen-tip and stigmas are never blackish-purple... I consider it will be helpful for keen photographers, willing to make an additional effort, to know which parts of Geranium to photograph. Having images of such parts of each geranium will greatly aid identification and enhance our understanding of the genus in the Himalaya - and perhaps you can help with the locating and identification of a species new-to-science! PHOTOGRAPHING GERANIUMS: *IF only the first one or two flowers have come out don't bother to collect as the form of inflorescence will not be evident.* *The rootstock is important; get enough to show whether compact or creeping, or annual. You can photograph the base of the plant which should provide this information. Clearly, one requires permission from the authorities to uproot a plant. There is still a need and indeed role for the collection of pressed specimens for herbaria in India but that is primarily the domain of staff of botanic gardens/ institutions.* * In the early stages of flowering look out for the best-developed unripe fruits available.* * If fruit is ripe try to include both dehisced and undehisced states.* * If the fruits are falling with the seeds inside them, collect some (many geraniums disperse their seed explosively but some seed is often retained).* *Include some loose petals when pressing (detach if necessary). Expose stamens to show filament shape and hairs by taking 2 or 3 sepals off a flower from which petals have recently dropped.* *Smoothing out one or two leaves and flowers as you close the press may be helpful; a few separately pressed basal and lower/middle stem leaves are often useful.* *Wilted specimens can be very misleading.* *Notes should be taken as to flower posture, colour and patterning of petals, colour of stigmas, anthers and distal parts of filaments (not necessary if your photos show these).* *And don't forget to ensure the stipules are clearly shown - something that would have been obviously in pressed specimens, so not mentioned above by Yeo.* On Thursday, November 22, 2012 at 12:11:55 AM UTC, Gurcharan Singh wrote: > > *Geranium pratense* L., Sp. Pl. 2: 681. 1753. > > A species very similar in appearance to G. wallichianum but very easily > differentiated by very narrow linear stipules, 5-7 lobed leaves more deeply > divided, each segment narrower, narrowest towards tip and gradually broader > towards base with 6-13 acutish lobes, and narrowed suddenly below the > lowest pairs of lobes. the species is now considerd closer to G. himalense > but latter has smaller leaves, broader segments with lobes concentrated in > upper with 5-7 lobes, mostly lobed again. > Flora of Pakistan considers Himalayan form as subsp. stewartianum, but > this taxon is not accepted in light of variation within the species. > Photographed from Gulmarg, kashmir. > > -- > 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://www.gurcharanfamily.com/ > http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ > > -- 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.
