Inula obtusifolia

Inula obtusifolia A.Kerner, 111 1870. (syn: Inula obtusifolia var. obtusifolia ; Inula thomsonii C.B.Clarke);

Images
by Saroj Kasaju (Validation by J.M.Garg) (Inserted by J.M.Garg) (For more images & complete details,
click on the links) 

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SK24JUN29-2016:ID : 6 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (2)
Enclosing some pictures for identification/ verification. Could not get clear shot due to long distance !
Location : On the way to Khardung La
Altitude : 4000m
Date: 21 August 2014

I believe it is Inula obtusifolia. Please verify.

Thanks, …, for the Id. I also think it matches with images of Inula obtusifolia at http://botany.cz/en/inula-obtusifolia/


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Fwd: Inula obtusifolia : 1 post by 1 author. Attachments (1)

Whilst this does not represent a FIRST for eFI, the existing post for this species only has 2, rather distant images and whilst there is a link to close-ups, some additional images and information about this common plant in Ladakh would be beneficial.
To begin with see: http://photos.v-d-brink.eu/Flora-and-Fauna/Asia/Pakistan-new/i-GfS7g5B and the two following images.
Members of the Southampton University Botanical Expedition to Zanskar 1981 found it in dry scree slopes of a rocky gorge near Karsha Gompa @ 3650m growing in small clumps between rocks, sticky & aromatic.
Flowers of Himalaya say this is common in Ladakh forming large clumps @ 2700-4000m from Pakistan to Uttarakhand.
Stewart described it as common & very variable, xerophytic, often growing on dry cliffs.  The variability means not all specimens I have seen of what I think probably are this, match perfectly.  Also found in Kashmir.   2400-4600m.  Stewart found a form on the mountainside above Dal Lake on cliffs which is more pubescent. This may be considerably lower than this species has been recorded before and warrant checking further.
Flora of Lahaul-Spiti have this as frequent in rock-crevices at Tandi.  They draw attention to Inula obtusifolia var. clarkei (strangely not mentioning that Stewart listed it as a separate species) say that it could not be maintained as distinct from the species proper, as the pubescent nature of stem, leaves, involucral bracts and large heads, upon which it based, are highly variable characters and often met within a single population.
Dickore & Klimes do not list Inula clarkei in their checklist of Ladakh flora but do have Inula koelzii – which if in Ladakh one might expect in Lahaul, as it presumably is named after Dr Walter Koelz, who travelled extensively in the later dsitrict?
I am not familiar with Inula koelzii (it is not listed by Stewart).  According to the authors of this species, Dawar & Qaiser, it is a narrow endemic only found in Ladakh.  I can find little information about it.  It is an accepted name in ‘The Plant List’.
Dawar & Qaiser also comment on the WIDE distribution of Inula racemosa which CONTRIDICTS, along with my own experience, the claim it is in any way ‘Critically Endangered’.  I MUST post something about this species shortly.
In the mean, I express some doubts about the variation of Inula obtusifolia, which has now become Inula. I do not know how to distinguish this from I.koelzii. At present, cannot access any Inulas on ‘Flora of Pakistan’ site.
Can anyone provide details of how to distinguish I.koelzii?   I just have noticed that Inula clarkei is an accepted name in ‘The Plant List’ – which contradicts the authors of ‘Flora of Lahaul-Spiti’.  Who do you consider is correct?
I shall comment about Inula orientalis which is what I.grandiflora (syn. I.barbata) has become, in another post.  I shall also post a couple of images of Inula rhizocephala var. rhizocephaloides.
In the mean-time I attach an image scanned in from a slide taken in Ladakh in the 1980s for me.



References:

The Plant List Ver.1.1
 GCC  BSI Flora of India  Flora of China  Annotated checklist of Flowering plants of Nepal  BOTANY cz  JSTOR (Specimen)
Alpine Garden Society  India Biodiversity Portal  

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