Peter C. Hoch and Peter H. Raven

Circaea repens Wall., Numer. list, no. 6341. nom. nud. ; Circaea lutetiana sensu C. B. Clarke in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 2: 589. 1879, non Linnaeus 1753; Circaea alpina L. var. himalaica C. B. Clarke in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 2: 589. 1879.

Herbs, 1.5-10 dm tall, simple or rarely branched below the inflorescence. Forming subterranean rhizomes terminated by tubers. Plants pubescent, the stem with short recurved hairs, the inflorescence axis and pedicels with spreading gland-tipped. hairs. Leaves narrowly to broadly ovate, rarely sub-orbicular, acute to short acuminate at the apex, broadly cuneate to cordate but most commonly rounded at the base, minutely to prominently denticulate, pubescent. Largest leaf blades 1.8-9 x 1.5 -5.5 cm. Petioles 1.5-5.5 cm, pubescent. Pedicels 2.3-5 mm, pubescent, perpendicular to the axis of the raceme at anthesis. Unilocular ovary with soft uncinate hairs. Floral tube 0.4-0.8 mm long. Sepals 2, 1.8-2.5 x 1.1-1.5 mm, pubescent abaxially, rarely glabrous, white, green or reddish tinged, spreading or reflexed in flower. Petals 2, 1.4-2.3 x 1.3-2.9 mm, white or pink, broadly to narrowly obtriangular in outline, V-shaped, the apical notch commonly ¾ or more the length of the petal. Stamens 2, spreading to ascending at anthesis, subequal to or shorter than the style. Style erect, 2.6-4.2 mm. Mature fruit 3.5-4.2 x 0.9-1.6 mm, unilocular, 1-seeded, narrowly to broadly clavate, tapering smoothly to the pedicel, densely covered with stiff uncinate hairs. Fruiting pedicels spreading to reflexed. n = 11.

Type: Nepal, vicinity of Kathmandu, 1821, N. Wallich 6341 (Lectotype: K. Isolectotypes: BM; G, 2 sheets; K).

One collection labelled only "Pakistan, Chor, R. C." (LIV).

In shade of moist to wet forests, bushy thickets and moist open places, 1500-3300 m. elev. Circaea repens is transitional between unilocular and bilocular species in that it bears a trace of a second locule. Fl. Per. early Jul.-Oct. Fr. Per. late Jul.-Nov; Distribution: Pakistan (one collection); northwest India through the Himalayas to south central China.