Pegaeophyton minutum

Pegaeophyton minutum H. Hara, J. Jap. Bot. 47(9): 270–272, f. 2 1972. (syn: Pegaeophyton garhwalensis H.J. Chowdhery & S. Singh);

Bhutan, China, India, Nepal as per Tropicos;

Small perennial herbs, glabrous or pubescent with simple trichomes, about 1-4 cm tall. Rootstocks slender, taproot, about 1 mm thick. Caudex branched, about 1-1.5 mm thick, Stem short, adding tiny portions at the apex of caudex or branches every year. Leaves simple, linear lanceolate, obovate to spathulate, about 1-4 x 0.5-2 mm across, base cuneate to subattenuate, margin entire, apex obtuse, fleshy, sparsely pubescent above and glabrous beneath, petiole about 5-10 mm long, cauline leaves absent. Inflorescence racemes, solitary flowered, slightly pubescent up to 2.5 cm long, ebracteate. Flowers bisexual, white, bluish, purple, pedicel erect, arising from axils or rosette leaves, ascending, persistent, pubescent on one side, about 2-2.5 cm long, sepals 4, ovate-oblong, free, inner lateral pair base not saccate, apex obtuse, glabrous or pubescent with short trichomes, about 2 x 1 mm across, petals 4, obovate-oblong to spathulate, about twice as long sepals, margins entire, apex obtuse or subemarginate, about 2-3.5 x 1.5-2.5 mm across, claw distinct. Stamens 6, subequal, filaments dilated near the base, about 1-1.5 mm long, anthers ovate-oblong, apex obtuse, about 0.3 mm long, nectar glands confluent at the base of stamens. Ovary superior, bicarpellary, ovules 2-12. Fruit siliqua, dehiscent, ellipsoid, to narrow oblong, sessile or stipitate, terete, about 3-6 x 1-1.3 mm across, latiseptate, valves chartaceous or membranous, flattened, replum flattened, septum absent, style about 0.5 mm long, stigma discoid, entire. Seeds 3-5, brown, plump or compressed, suborbicular, ovate-ovoid, about 1 mm across, not winged, minutely obscurely reticulate, not mucilaginous when soaked, cotyledons accumbent.

On grassy slopes and moist rocky places, altitude 3700-4900 m.
Asia: Bhutan, China, India: Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Nepal.
(Attributions- Ganeshaiah, K. N., UAS, Bangalore, India.; Kailash, B. R., ATREE, Bangalore, India.; Royal Norwegian Embassy grants. Indian Bioresource Information Network (IBIN), Department of Biotechnology, New Delhi)


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Pegaeophyton minutum (Brassicaceae) from Uttarakhand, India_DSR: 6 posts by 5 authors. Attachments (2)

Initially described as a new species Pegaeophyton garhwalensis H.J. Chowdhery & S. Singh (Brassicaceae) from Kedarnath area, this perennial plant is now known as Pegaeophyton minutum H. Hara (=P. garhwalensis). The plant is so tiny that it is difficult to notice among the mosses. In our present visit to the area above Kedarnath I noticed one individual and photographed it. It grows with the mosses among the large boulders in shady areas and produce minute flowers of white colour during July- August.

Photographed above Kedarnath at about 4450m elevation in September 2018.

This species is not represented in efloraofindia.    

… great eye and superb localizing skill. i love it. like finding proverbial needle in a hay stack or a physician  locating a 2 or 3 mm tumor in the human body

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wonder why does it need to grow among mosses. similar growing requirement or some physiological interdependence?

Thank you … I noticed this plant in 1990’s when in my research days, so aware of its typical habitat and minute size

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