YASIN J. NASIR

Planta valde compacta, caudicibus foliorum sibi dense adpressis. Folia columnaria, pallide viridia, siccitate brunnea, 3-4 x 1.1 mm, lanceolate, obtuse. Indumentum e pilis nodosis, 0.40-1.34 mm longis, 16-26.8 u latis sistens. Scapus obsoletus, 1-florus. Calyx 2.8 mm longus, campanulatus, usque ad dimidium fissus, villosus, lobis obtusis. Corollae limbus 6.0-6.5 mm latus, lobis obtusis, integris, annulo elevato. Capsula ovoidea, in calyce inclusa. Semina 2, c. 1 mm longa, ovoidea-oblonga, brunnea.

Plant very compact, with the leaf caudices appressed close together. Leaves columnar, brown (in dried state), pale green, 3-4 x 1.1 mm, lanceolate-obtuse. Indument of white nodose hairs, 0.40-1.34 mm x 16-26.8 u. Scape obsolete, 1-flowered. Calyx 2.8 mm long, campanulate, ½ cleft, villous lobes obtuse. Corolla limb 6-6.5 mm broad, lobes obtuse, entire, annulus raised. Capsule ± ovaloid, included in the calyx. Seeds 2, c. 1 mm long, ovoid-oblong, brown.

Fl. Per.: June-July.

Holotype: Gharesa glacier, 14000’ slopes of Buri Harar, Gilgit, R.S. Russell 1139 (BM).

The species appears to be related to Androsace selago Klatt and Androsace tapete Maxim. But differs from either in the leaves being hairy on both surfaces and calyx villous all over. Some ± columnar forms of Androsace muscoidea, to a certain degree resemble Androsace russellii in facies (as W.W. Deacock no. 4 from Rakaposhi, Gilgit), and the two specimens collected by R.R. & I.D. Stewart from the Gangabal lakes and the Zoji pass in Kashmir). These forms have an indumenta of a dirty-white colour and the rosettes at the tips of the caudices are still discernible. In Androsace russellii the columns of leaves are well marked and the hairs are the hairs are white in colour.