Swertia beddomei C.B.Clarke, Fl. Brit. India 4: 127 1883. ;
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Erect herbs, to 60 cm high; branchlets 4-angled and obscurely 4 winged. Leaves opposite-decussate, sessile, 1-3 x 0.8-2 cm, ovate-orbicular, subamplexicaule at base, margins entire, obtuse at apex, 3-5 ribbed, coriaceous. Flowers in densely panicled, flat topped terminal and axillary corymbs, blue lurid or white, 4-5 mm across with a nectary at base; peduncle c. 15 cm long; pedicel c. 2.5 cm long. Calyx 4-partite, ovate-oblong or rarely lanceolate, 4-5 x 1-1.5 mm, prominently 3-5 nerved, obtuse or acute at apex, revolute at margins, minutely scaberulous. Corolla rotate; lobes 4, overlapping and twisted in bud, elliptic-obovate, 6-7 x 1-3.5 mm, obtuse at apex, often inflexed along margins, lobes with a nectary at base; nectaries with fringed margins. Stamens 4, epipetalous, inserted at base of corolla; filaments linear, ribbon-like, 2.8-3.5 mm long, dilated downwards; anthers oblong c. 1 x 1 mm, black or pale green, versatile. Ovary 1-celled, ellipsoid, 3.5-4.5 x 1-2 mm; ovules numerous, placentas slightly intruded; style short, 0.5-0.8 mm long; stigma bifid, capitate. Fruit an oblong, sessile, 2-valved capsule; seeds many, small. Flowering and fruiting: November-April
Grasslands
Southern Western Ghats
Attributions- Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi)
. Swertia beddomei C.B. Clarke from Bababudan hills : 2 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (1). Very nice picture! Thanks for introducing yet another endemic! .
One more here
Date/Time- October 2012 Location – Western ghats, Karnataka, Chikmagalur district, Kudremukh range, approx 1500mtrs asl Habitat – Wild – Grasslands … a guess: species of Swertia (family Gentianaceae). Does not appear to be a Swertia species. My guess is that Gentianaceae should have five petals. Swertia and Gentia typical grassland plants has no cup like flowers that you have it Yes, this is Swertia beddomei C.B.Clarke, as per images and details herein.
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