Elatostema cuspidatum Wight, Icon. Pl. Ind. Orient. 6: t. 1983 1853. (syn: Elatostema bodinieri H. Lév. (ambiguous synonym); Elatostema sessile var. cuspidatum (Wight) Wedd.);
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China (NW-Fujian, W-Guangxi, Guizhou, SW-Hubei, Hunan, SW-Jiangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan), S-Tibet, NE-India, Nepal, Myanmar [Burma], Bangladesh as per Catalogue of Life;
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Elatostema sessile J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. from Chopta area, Uttarkhand : Attachments (4). 3 posts by 3 authors.
Elatostema sessile J.R.Forst. & G.Forst., Char. Gen. Pl. 53 1775.
Prostrate to slightly ascending herb often rooting and bent at joints; leaves sessile, ovate-lanceolate, with strongly unequal sides, up to q5 cm long and up to 7 cm broad, crenate, except the basal part, tip narrowed into a tail; flowers small, unisexual, green, in saucer-shaped heads interspersed with small bracts and surrounded by involucre bracts, heads 2-3 together, usually turned downwards, 8-12 mm across, male heads sessile with3-5-parted perianth and 4-5 stamens, female stalked with 3-parted persistent perianth and without involucre bracts; stigma a tuft of hairs; achenes ovoid, flattened.
Photographed from dense forest along road from Ukhimath to Chopta near a place known as Tala in Uttarakhand.

Thanks for sharing this Urticaceae member.


Thanks for sharing this herb, nice photographs and description.. I think we also got this during Gori Valley trip, will post mine for validation..


Elatostema sessile J. R. Forster & G. Forster as listed in Check of Nepal and Flora of Bhutan (1983), is not distributed in these areas as per Catalogue of Life; However, Elatostema sessile var. cuspidatum (Wight) Wedd. synonym for Elatostema cuspidatum Wight is given distribution as China (NW-Fujian, W-Guangxi, Guizhou, SW-Hubei, Hunan, SW-Jiangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan), S-Tibet, NE-India, Nepal, Myanmar [Burma], Bangladesh. Also Elatostema sessile var. cyrtandrifolia (Zoll. & Mor.) Wedd. synonym for Elatostema cyrtandrifolium (Zoll. & Mor.) Miq. is given distribution as China (Fujian, S-Gansu, N-Guangdong, W-Guangxi, Guizhou, W-Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan, SE-Yunnan), Taiwan, Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar [Burma] (Kachin, Sagaing, Shan), Sikkim, Laos.
On detailed checking with keys, specimens and descriptions in Flora of Bhutan, Catalogue of Life, Flora of ChinaFOC illustrationGBIF and Checklist of Nepal etc., I feel it may be close to Elatostema cuspidatum Wight var. cuspidatum (but distribution is not shown only upto Nepal) or some other closely related species.
It appears similar to another thread by …: SK1553 09 Nov 2018

Can it be Elatostema cyrtandrifolium ? as per
Flora of China  FOC illustration GBIF (high resolution specimens)  Research Gate photos  iNaturalist
I think more closer to Elatostema cuspidatum Wight var. cuspidatum as per Flora of ChinaFOC illustrationGBIF and Checklist of Nepal 


This is the real E. cuspidatum.


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SK 3971 02 June 2024: 7 very high res. images.

Location: Near  Fung Fung Waterfall, Kakani, Nepal
Elevation:  1560 m.
Date: 29 May 2024
Habit : Wild

Could not find a match as per comparative images at
https://efloraofindia.com/2011/02/27/elatostema/
Pl. check other species in the checklist with GBIF and POWO.


I tried looking with all species in Checklist of Nepal.
Only a few came somewhat closer:
But the closest I can go is Elatostema cuspidatum Wight as per GBIF specimens (one and two).