3. Comastoma pseudopulmonarium Omer in Candollea. 47:547. 1992.
SAOOD OMER
Department of Botany, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270
Biennial, glabrous, green up to 15(-20) cm high, branched herb. Stem developed, each branch terminating into flower. Basal leaves rosulate, 0.8-1.3 x 0.4-0.7 cm, elliptic-ovate, acute, entire, cauline of two types, one from axillary branchess bigger in size: 0.8-2.0 x 0.4-0.75 cm, ovate, acute, entire, sessile, leaves on flowering branch: 0.3-1.0 x 0.1-0.25 cm, linear-lanceolate, acute, entire, sessile. Flowers solitary, pentamerous, borne on up to 8.0 cm long peduncles, flowers 0.8-2.0 cm long, campanulate. Calyx 5 lobed, lobes almost divided to base, tube absent or almost so, lobes unequal, two pairs equal to one another, the smallest pair: 0.3-0.6 x 0.1-0.2 cm, lanceolate, acute, entire, bigger pair: 0.4-0.7 x 0.15-0.3 cm, lanceolate, acute, entire, fifth and biggest: 0.45-0.8 x 0.15-0.35 cm, broadly lanceolate, acute, entire, all obscurely parallel veined. Corolla 0.8-2.0 cm long, tube (0.5-) 0.6-1.5 cm long, lobes 0.4-0.8 x 0.20-0.45 cm, obovate, obtuse, entire, fimbriate, fimbriae equal in length, subexserted, linear, acuminate. Stamens 5, filaments filiform, adnate to corolla throat in or above the middle, anthers dorsifixed, 2-lobed, ovate. Nectaries at the base of corolla throat. Capsule subexserted-exserted, 1.5-2.0 x 0.35-0.55 cm, lanceolate. Seeds numerous, globose, non-striated.
Fl. & Fr. Per.: July-September.
Type: Bashahr State, Labrang to Runang pass, 19.8.1890, J.H.Lace 540 (Holo-E!, Iso-E!).
B-8 Kashmir: Apharwat, 10000 ft. upward, Sept. 1929, Steans 52 (E), Shish Nag, upper Lidder valley, 12000 ft., 31.8.1925, R.R. Stewart 8391 a (NA), Baltistan: Shingo valley, near Gulteri, 11-12000 ft., 5.7.1892, Duthie 11822 (E, O), Chogolisa glacier, August 1955, Francis 45 (RAW).
Distribution: Himalayas and Karakorum.
An Irano-Turanian element.
Comastoma pseudopulmonarium Omer comes very close to Comastoma pulmonarium (Turcz.) Toyok. and Comastoma pedunculata (Royle ex D.Don) Holub. The general habit of Comastoma pseudopulmonarium Omer is identical to the habit of Comastoma pulmonarium (Turcz.) Toyok. wh ereas the flower size and shape exactly matches the Comastoma pedunculata (Royle ex D.Don) Holub. From Comastoma pulmonarium (Turcz.) Toyok., it differs in the shape and size of flower, and from Comastoma pedunculata (Royle ex D.Don) Holub on the basis of general habit.
