Lepyrodiclis tenera

Lepyrodiclis tenera Boiss., Diagn. Pl. Orient., ser. 2 2(1): 84 1854. (syn: Arenaria tenera (Boiss.) Edgew.);

Common name: Tender Alpine-Sandwort

Pakistan (Dir, Swat), Afghanistan (Kunar / Nuristan), Jammu & Kashmir
(Kashmir), India (Himachal Pradesh) as per Catalogue of Life;

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TQKashmir-02 : 10 posts by 4 authors. Attachments (3)

Photographed at Sonmarg, Kashmir, in early June

Growing wild. Flowers long-stalked

Please help in identification

… at first glance, reminded me of Stellaria !!! But must be far from it 🙂 … would have asked for species !

 i was also thinking Stellaria and Arenaria,  but drew nothing 

Looking at my herbarium collection, I can think of Lepyrodiclis holosteoides. Please look at these images also:

Thank you for your effort. That does appear to be very close. From the images appearing on the web, it appears to be a variable species.
In a closeup image I have attached, it looks like there are two styles, as the description says. Also, the ovary appears to be superior. Is that true for Lepyrodiclis holosteoides?

Thanks … for this photo which clears the doubt. Genus Lepyrodiclis differs from Arenaria among other things by two styles as against usually 3 in Arenaria. In fact I was trying to count styles only from your earlier photographs.

This should be the answer: Lepyrodiclis tenera. I just caught hold of the “Flora of India Vol 2” which says
1. Leaves linear or linear-lanceolate, flowers solitary or in cymes; petals obovate or spathulate, retuse.. L. holosteoides
2. Leaves ovate, elliptic or oblong-lanceolate; flowers solitary; petals linear, entire…L. tenera
Shape of leaves, petals longer than sepals, its distribution in Kashmir, all go with this species. You may also note that in most flowers in your images petals are narrowed and almost entire at tip.

That’s wonderful! This lays to rest all doubt.

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