Carpesium abrotanoides

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Seen this herb at “Dachigam National forest”.
Bot. name: Carpesium abrotanoides
Family: Asteraceae
Date/Time: 24-09-2011 / 04:15PM
Location: Dachigam National Forest, near Srinagar, J & K.
Habitat: Wild.

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Yes … Very good photographs

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Yes … Very good photographs

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Asteraceae Fortnight Part 2-Discoid heads- Carpesium abrotanoides from Kashir and Chakrata-GS21 :  Attachments (6). 1 post by 1 author.

Capesium abrotanoides from Dachhigam Kashmir:
Carpesium abrotanoides L.

A weed quite distict from C. cernuum in its smaller axillary flower heads and narrower leaves.
Photographed from Dachhigam Kashmir in July-August

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Asteraceae Fortnight Part 1-Radiate Heads: Carpesium abrotanoides from Kashmir-GS43 : Attachments (2). 2 posts by 1 author.

This is a new species for me.

Also C.cernuum – common & very variable similar range @ 1000-3000m and C.trachelifolium – this was listed in ‘Flora of British India’ @ 5-7000′ but Stewart had only found this East of Kashmir.

All three are in ‘Flora Simlensis’ (do you have a copy, I picked up one, re-printed by Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh at a modest cost in Shimla itself I think – many years back). Whilst it is a decent work, with good content but has its limitations and some inaccuracies.

There is a key between the species – C. cernuum apparently common in woods at Shimla (or was a century ago).

First part of key 1/2-1 inch diam., solitary, nodding, which rules out C.cernuum.

Then, heads not more than 1/4 inch diam – your images do not have a scale/ ruler but they look small. Heads few, solitary or in small clusters at the end of long, axillary stalks, leaves broadly lanceolate – which fits your images – C.trachelifolium

I am not convinced by this. Images available on the internet fit with your plant being C.abrotanoides. Unfortunately, there are no images of this species available at Kew herbarium but the one image they have of C.trachelifolium does not fit.

So based upon what I can find out to-date, I think Collet in ‘Flora Simlensis’ is wrong.

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Thank you … for taking the time to explain this in detail. I can confirm that there was no strong odour from the plant I photographed and the flower heads were small (about 12mm long and 4mm wide). If we go by Col Collett (I do have a copy of his book and find it a very good resource), this will rule out C. abrotanoides. I will do more research this evening and see if C. trachelifolium is a better match.

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Flora of China: ………….

FOC does not show the distribution of C. tracheliifolium in India but Col Colett, Flora of Chamba both include it. Further, hotographs here show C. tracheliifolium with cordate leaf bases and very different from my sample. Photos of C. abrotanoides are closer.

None of the the texts other than the Flora Simlensis mentions the strong odour.

Going by the flowering time, habitat and leaf shapes, and till more evidence to the contrary I am putting my bets on C. abrotanoides.

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Lovely and informative images of C.trachelifolium from China.

I agree with you that your images do not match this species.

They do seem to match C.abrotanoides – always bear in mind when growth is “secondary” or akin to a “sucker” as your plant appears to be,

the flowering may be fully developed, which can confuse things.
Have been busy identifying two sets of images from Ladakh.

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Thank you … I will be mindful of that. Today I found the plant uprooted (it’s been raining heavily!) and sadly cannot monitor its growth further.

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from Mussoorie – Oct’10?;

TQ09-Mussoorie – efloraofindia | Google Groups

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Carpesium abrotanoides L.: 5 very high res. images.