beautifulflowers032840mbp

Plate 13] SWERTIA 45
II.
bb. Glands on corolla-lobes
naked or almost so ...
2. Stems not hollow
One gland on each corolla-lobe.
1. Corolla purple or dark red . . .
2. Corolla yellow-white
3. Corolla white in the upper
half, with 2 purple blotches
at the base ...
S. Thomsoni.
S. tetragona.
S. purpurascens.
S. cordata.
S. paniculata.
B. Calyx and corolla 4-lobed.
1. Corolla white or pale
darker dotted
blue,
S. angustifolia,
2. Corolla green-yellow, variously
tinged.
a. One gland on each corollalobe
fc. Two glands on each corollalobe
var. Hamiltoniano .
S. alata.
S. Chirata.
Figs. 1 and 2. Swertia petiolata, Royle. Coventry, pi. xxxiv.
(Petiolata means stalked, alluding to the long leaf-stalks.)
Stem 1-4 ft.
high, hollow, -|-g in. thick. Lower stem-leaves
with a stalk 2-3 in. long, in tufts, oblong, 3i by 1 in., 5-nerved,
united into a tube, leaves at the base of the inflorescence 1J
by i in., stalkless, hardly united, upper stem-leaves stalked or
stalkless. Flowers 1-1-J- in. diameter, lurid grey or nearly
white with blue-green veins, in clusters of 3-5 flowers which
are borne on long stalks erect from the axils of the leaves,
forming a long, narrow panicle. Sepals 5, i by i in., lanceshaped,
sometimes larger. Corolla-lobes 5, i-f by i-J- in.,
with 2 round, fringed yellow glands at the base of each lobe.
Stamens 5, fastened to the base of the corolla. Capsule i
by i in., egg-shaped. Seeds not winged.
Flowers. June to September.
Locality. Basam Gali at higher levels, abundant towards
the Pass and above it, associated with Primula Stuartii,
Primula rosea, Adonis chrysocyathus ;
Khur Mt., 13,200 ft. ;
Gulmarg, woods and open hills, usually near watercourses,
above 8,000 ft., very common
;
Thajwas ; Tragbol.
Distribution. W. Himalaya, 8,000-14,000 ft., Afghanistan.