RUBINA AKHTER

A small tree. Branches at first pubescent with simple and capitate glandular hairs. Leaves up to 10 x 4 cm, elliptic to obovate, acuminate, base subequal, rounded to truncate, coarsely biserrate, each tooth usually with one subequal secondary tooth, upper surface usually smooth, lower surface with simple and glandular hairs. Inflorescence on old branches in dense clusters, inflorescence axis very short, pedicels about 0.5 mm long, densely pubescent and glandular. Perianth c. 3 mm long; lobes 5, obovate, ciliate with simple and subcapitate glandular hairs. Ovary glabrous. Samara orbicular, 10-12 mm in diameter; seed central, suffused with red, glabrous; stipe shorter than perianth lobes.

Holotype: Utter Pradesh, Pangot near Nainital, 2000 m, 27 Oct. 1960, Heybroek (L), Isotype (K); photo!.

Distribution: Kashmir eastward to Nepal, 1100-2000 m.

I have not seen any specimens of this from our area. Melville & Heybroek report its rarity in Kashmir. The only specimen cited by Zielinski (l.c.) from Baluchistan (Duthie’s collection) is without exact locality; it seems to be out of its distributional range in Baluchistan.