Decalepidanthus elongatus (Decne.) Dickoré & Hilger 2015

Dickoré, W. Bernhard & Hilger, Hartmut H., 2015, Decalepidanthus (Boraginaceae) includes and antedates Pseudomertensia; a synopsis of the genus, Phytotaxa 226 (2), pp. 131-143 : 135-136

2. Decalepidanthus elongatus (Decne.) Dickoré & Hilger , comb. nov.

Basionym:— Lithospermum elongatum Decne. in Jacquemont (1844: 121). ≡ Eritrichium elongatum (Decne.) A.DC. in Candolle (1846: 124). ≡ Mertensia elongata (Decne.) Clarke (1883: 170) . ≡ Pseudomertensia elongata (Decne.) Riedl (1967: 61) . Type:— INDIA. Jammu & Kashmir: ‘In saxosis humidis sylvarum supra Pendjegram’, 2600 m, 21 August 1831, V.Jacquemont 925 (holo P photo!, iso K! [‘Cachemyr’, s.n.]).

= Pseudomertensia moltkioides var. leichtlinii Kazmi (1970: 383) . Type:— PAKISTAN. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Hazara, M. Leichtlin 4 (BM!).

Icon.: — Nasir (1989b): fig. 33 A–C.— Fig. 1b (nutlet), 1f (habit)

Distribution: —N Pakistan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa:?Swat, Hazara), NW India (Jammu & Kashmir): Outer far northwest and Kashmir Himalaya.—Map: fig. 2a.

Habitat: —Elevation (2190–) 2430–3880 m, subalpine; locally frequent in forest clearings [ Abies webbiana (Wall. ex D.Don) Lindl. ], moist scrub, meadows [ Juniperus squamata Buch. -Ham., Bergenia stracheyi (Hook.f. & Thomson) Engl. , Kobresia nepalensis (Nees) Kük. ] and among rocks.

Notes: — Decalepidanthus elongatus is apparently restricted to a small stretch of land on the outer (south) slopes of the far western Himalaya, west to Hazara; a single literature record for Swat requires confirmation. With the possible exception of some doubtful specimens or populations from the upper Kaghan valley, its distribution is sharply separated from that of D. echioides to the north of the main Himalayan range.

Figures

FIGURE 1. a–d Nutlets of Decalepidanthus species, adaxial face (left), abaxial face (right): a, D. echioides, Pakistan, Hunza, G. & S. Miehe 2811 (MSB); b, D. elongatus, Pakistan, Kaghan Valley, W.B.Dickoré 13249 (MSB); c, D. parviflorus, Pakistan, Kaghan Valley, U. Schickhoff 106A (MSB); d, D. primuloides, Pakistan, Hunza, G. & S. Miehe 3703 (MSB); e–g Habit of Decalepidanthus species: e, D. echioides, Pakistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Gilgit District, Jutial Nala, 2620 m, 31 August 1995, W.B.Dickoré 12227; f, D. elongatus, Pakistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mansehra District, Mt. Makra W, 3840 m, 14 September 1995, W.B.Dickoré 13180; g, D. echioides, Pakistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mansehra District, Mt. Makra top, 3880 m, 14 September 1995, W.B.Dickoré 13259.