Askellia flexuosa

Some herbs from Keylong- Leh road 3 : 5 posts by 1 author. Attachments (2)

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Pl. check comparative images at https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/species/a–-l/ar/asteraceae/cichorioideae/cichorieae

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Pl. try with some Crepis species as per comparative images herein.

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This is Askellia (=Crepis) flexuosa.

I appreciate that a lot of time and effort went into sub-dividing the VERY large Asteraceae family (previously Compositae) into Tribes but I personally think in terms of GENERA rather than Tribes and often find searching for entries a nuisance.

When I began taking a serious interest in botany in the late 1970s arranging plants systematically remained the norm.

‘Flowers of the Himalaya’ is arranged systematically.  Herbaria are arranged systematically.  I do see a value in arranging the efI data-base by family.  Wisely, an ALPHABETICAL approach has been adopted NOT a Systematic one.

Dickore & Klimes arranged their ‘Flora of Ladakh’ (2005) which is a check-list rather than a Flora, in alphabetical order by family but when I first started to use it, was not familiar with quite a number of name changes of the families (they, unfortunately, did not indicate which families the families had been known as previously).  They also do not provide any synonyms for the numerous changes of genera and species names – all this has meant a LOT of checking for me.

I also have to observe that I find a basic check-list (even when of the highest standards which Dickore & Klimes’ work always is) of MINIMAL use – though it represents a START towards a more up-to-date version of Stewart’s ‘An Annotated Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Pakistan & Kashmir’ (1972). Stewart’s original ‘Flora of Ladakh’ (1916-17) was little more than a check-list. We still await an actual FLORA for Ladakh.  I did offer to collaborate towards an up-to-date Flora for Ladakh 30 years ago but was told, at a senior level, this was for Indian botanists ONLY.  I have inquired a number of times since then but nobody seems to be able to tell me IF such a Flora is “in preparation”?

I wonder how many members are FAMILIAR with the Tribes within Asteraceae?  I only know some and do not think in terms of Tribes at all (though probably have a better grasp of what a ‘Tribe’ is than most) – does not seem to have done me any lasting damage…..

Anyhow, I cannot locate Crepis or Youngia, so perhaps the following constitutes a new entry but even if that is not the case, the images

are well worth having available to refer to for comparison purposes?

See three lovely images of what I currently consider is Crepis flexuosa see: http://photos.v-d-brink.eu/Pakistan-new/i-9XMDWz2  (what a great habitat shot) and two following images.

According to The Plant List the name Crepis flexuosa is unresolved.

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For id 170722 JM1: 6 images- 2 high res.
Along the roadside on the Leh-Khardung La road before South Pullu (15,300 ft) on 15.6.22 in Ladakh.
Thought of Santalaceae, but it looks different.

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