Populus species- Dachigam, Kashmir

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Poppulus balsamifera photographed from Dachigam Kashmir, pl validate.

This is not P. balsamifera L. I’m not sure what species it is. I guess it is P. szechuanica var. tibetica which show diversity of shape of leaf lamina. My next post will show Populus balsamifera L. from Canada and USA. It would help for further understanding where both these differ.

Some more information is required for identification of Populus species. From the information provided so far is leaf. I still think may be P. balsamiana

Could it be P. pamirica Kom. considering the fact that according to eFlora of Pakistan Indian specimens of P. balsamifera actually belong to P. pamirica. Also keeping in mind the fact that both species are missing from … list.

I’m sorry to say again that it is not P. pamirica. I’m sure about that after seeing the type material of P. pamirica (deposited at Leningrad) and checking the description of this species in Flora of the USSR. I do not agree with to eFlora of Pakistan that “Indian specimens of P. balsamifera actually belong to P. pamirica”. Rather I believe on the work of C.K. Schneider (Pl. Wilson., 1916) who included the Indian “Populus balsamifera”(of Hooker, Brandis) under Populus szechuanica var. tibetica. Schneider’s work seems to be more justified as his work is very original (not copied from other) and simply marvelous.

The leaf of your specimen looks like some hybrid of P. nigra var. italica. But for further confirmation reproductive parts are required. I’m not willing to include neither P. pamirica nor P. balsamifera in Indian list

Thanks a lot … Perhaps I may be able to take some live photographs in my next visit to Kashmir. Dachigam is the area of my PhD research and I have studied its Flora between 1970-1974. This year we have changed our programme to spend time with our elder son and his family in California from April to September. Kashmir visit may be shifted to April, 2015. From both places I wish to capture spring plants which I have missed till now. In California my main aim is to capture fruits vegetables and ornamental which are very well displayed in Farmers weekly Markets.

I will eagerly waiting from the photographs of Salix and Populus from Kashmir. I never visited Leh and Ladakh where some unique species of Salicaceae are found. Are you going to publish another edition on fruits and vegetables?