SHAHINA A. GHAZANFAR & YASIN J. NASIR

Erect, glabrous, perennial, 10-13 cm. Stem simple, 4-angled. Leaves 15-3 x 1-2 mm; lanceolate-linear, glabrous, sessile, acute. Inflorescence lax, of few. flowered dichasial cymes. Bracts c. 3 mm, scarious. Pedicel long, slender. Sepals 4-5 mm, lanceolate, acute, with serious margins. Petals white, 1½-2 times length of the sepals, deeply bilobed into linear-oblong lobes. Capsule ¾th as long as the calyx. Seeds obscurely tuberculate.

Fl. Per.: July-August.

Type: Iran, Monte Elwend, Persiae, Aucher 610 (G).

Distribution: E. Turkey, W. Iran, Caucasus, N. Pakistan.

Specimens from Chitral which Wendelbo (Nytt. Mag. Bot. 1:27.1952) referrer to with doubt as Stellaria graminea or Stellaria glauca With. may belong here. Stellaria palustris (Syn. Stellaria glance) has longer sepals and often the glaucous leaves are 2-4 mm broad

Stellaria persica is close to the previous species, but is distinguished by its cymose inflorescence, the leaves without cilia and axillary fascicles, and petals longer than the sepals.

Also reported from Kurram by Stewart (l.c.) but I have not seen any specimens from that area.