flem-MING-ee-uh — named for John Fleming, surgeon, Indian Medical Service
GRASS-il-is — graceful; slender

commonly known as: slender flemingia • Marathi: जरतारी jartari

¿ Endemic to: northern Western Ghats (of India) ?

As per efi thread:

F. gracilis : as leaves nigro-punctate beneath
F. nilgheriensis: as not nigro-punctate beneath
 
  

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Kass Plateau, Approx. 24 kms north of Satara, Maharashtra: 20th to 21st Sep’08; Kas- 20Sep2009;  at Kaas plateau, Satara, Maharashtra in the 3rd week of Sept 2010; Flemingia gracilis_Kaas_Sept 2010_SSN – efloraofindia | Google Groups Jartari (Flemingia gracilis) – indiantreepix | Google Groups Fwd: [indiantreepix:18370] Request for flower ID-150909 – indiantreepix | Google Groups

  
Sometime back photo of Flemingia sp. on Kaas was circulated and I had ided it as Flemingia nilgheriensis based on BSI flora key as it has tuberous roots, which i have myself verified from that site as well as
from nearby plateaus in Mahabaleshwar. But later people wrote it as F. gracilis and I did not contest it for lack of some references.
However, I have gone through my data and the recent book by Mishra and Singh (2001) on Endemic and threatened flowering plants of Maharashtra and I am strongly of opinion that it is Flemingia nilgheriensis (Baker) Wight ex Cooke.
Mishra and Singh mention differentiating characters
F. gracilis : as leaves nigro-punctate beneath
F. nilgheriensis: as not nigro-punctate beneath
Those visiting Kaas at present can verify this. However, I find the character of tuberous roots much more dependable. The other localities they have mentioned are Kalsubai, gothane, Kaas, Mahabaleshwar and
Phonda ghat. With the exception of Kalsubai, I have seen this plant in all the other localities mentioned and areas adjacent to it and hence feel certain that this plant is Flemingia nilgheriensis. Also knowing Dipak K. Mishra’s identification work, I tend to trust his opinion.
I am unable to comment on F. gracilis, never having seen its material.
The only three localities mentioned by Mishra for it are Porcupine point (Matheran), Khandala, Lonavla (Sakharpathar plateau- which on way to Sahara amby valley project). and the original collection is by
Bell from 1918 from Castle Rock (Karnataka). Those visiting these localities can try getting the material and identifying it again vs that on the above localities.
It would also be necessary to read up the original and subsequent descriptions of both the species to search for more clues to confirm- I again miss having access to the good libraries and literature. Maybe
those in ARI/BSI/BNHS can check up.
To reiterate, with the present knowledge, my belief is that the kaas Flemingia is F. nilgheriensis.

Thank you … for the explanation. It was to my post 150909 that you had IDed it as F. nielgherriense (this is the way it was spelled) in the post you sent on my email. It did not come to the group mail. I searched the net, but could not find any image of the same. Since you did not contest the F. gracilis ID, I assumed you had accepted the same.  
If you don’t mind can you please explain what does as leaves not nigro-punctate beneath mean? 

I corrected the spelling on the list too later after checking the dicot flora.
Punctate is having tiny dots
Nigro-punctate is having tiny black(=nigro) dots.

cant remember easily any species showing this character- but some Indigofera sp. have it.


Thank you so much. So we need … to confirm the points you have mentioned after ref. from BNHS lib.

Important feedback prompted me to take a macro photo of the leaf of Flemingia from Kas. (20Sep2009)
I didn’t dare to uproot it as there were only few of these plants. I request all to comment whether the small spots seen in the magnified picture can be called as ….nigro punctate or not? I think newer technological gadget may be useful here against the handheld lens with which I might not have seen these.


Here is the only post on Flemingia gracilis on Indiantreepix by …:
They certainly are nigro-punctate, which is given as character of F. gracilis. And I have seen tuberous roots on Kaas, which is a “key” character in BSI Dicot I flora. So where does that lead us? – to more work, and this time involving more search thr’ protologues (original species descriptions), standard literature, actual specimens, type specimens (probably) in herbaria of BSI, BLATTER. 
There is always a possibility that this is a single species, described by two authors based on characters which appear mixed in populations. They certainly occur in similar habitats- high altitude plateaus in high rainfall region. But before we start on this quest, let me check with the senior taxonomists in the region, to see if anyone has resolved the confusion before.
If anyone finds Flemingia in the localities mentioned for F.gracilis, please take similar pictures of, and check roots and also flower, fruits, because we might need more and more characters to work on as we start this quest.
…, it feels great to have committed people like you here who are willing to take so much trouble for correct identifications.


Thank you … for these wonderul pics of the leaves. I hope the species you saw was the same as the one we saw. 
The dots appear like nigro- punctate – This is a very racial word, I feel very uncomfortable using this term, surprising in Botany where mainly Greek and Latin is used, that this term should find its way!


The original word nigr- is latin and means black. There is nothing to feel uncomfortable about use of a word which defines a colour.

The word which gained derogatory meaning is spelt “n-e-g-r-o” and cums from the same latin route- nigr-/niger meaning black. Even that word was not considered bad till some people started using it as racial slur in America
Also in botany it is not Greek and Latin used- but only words which are “latinised”, (whether greek, sanskrit, marathi, swedish in origin) for naming plants and pure latin for describing them.


Precisely … my contention is why was pure Latin not used and in this case retained as ‘nigr’ instead of adding ‘o’ and making it sound racial. You may feel fine with it but I do feel uncomfortable.


…, “nigr” by itself is not a full word — it is the root. nigra, nigro, &c forms the adjective (gender-based associated to the noun).


Niger, nigra, nigrum, nigro are just deflections of word meaning black to suite different grammatic situation in botanical latin. We by using words like black man and white man have created racial twist.


Yes … by reunsing the word as deflected form of black, is not botanical terms in way perpetuating the racial mindset? Why can’t it be called black punctate this would be neutral.
or nigr punctate. Adding ‘o’ is the problem.


You know …, just in case if you were with UN then you must have objected on the name of a country like NIGERIA!!! Nigerians dont hate it, but u must have felt awkward.
There is no such issue of racialism, IT IS JUST BOTANICAL LATIN. Most people here dont even know what is latin, they dont even know how to pronounce “Linneaus” because of whom latin is followed. His name was
actually, Carl von Linné, but to latinize it to a masculine gender, they made it Carolus Linnaeus. In latin, from the name you can make out the gender. There are few standard botanical terms which are meant
to provide ease to descriptions. Niger or nigro or negro is one such word, it has nothing to do wit the community, its a character. Latin words are very much technical to use, to make it grammatically
correct, u have to add suffix to it.
Just for example, ur name is … but u add an “a” to it, why? Ans: to make the word feminine…right!! Similarly when u describe a character u dont call it black dots u say blackish dots or nigro- punctate, “o” is added to make a noun as an adjective.
There are many things in botany which sounds really awkward but you have to use it….C******* ternatea, Monochoria *********lis…..U
CANT HELP. THIS IS BOTANY!!


 

 

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Fabaceae-Faboideae (Papilionaceae) Week : Shrubs/Herbs : Flemingia gracilis:  Flemingia gracilis
A shrub flowering in Sep. on Kas plateau. Maharashtra.
Characteristically the leaves are gland dotted beneath.


 

Kas week : Flemingia gracilis SMP:  Flemingia gracilis
Apt name in Marathi ” Jartari” जरतारी


 

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Flemingia gracilis:   Flemingia gracilis from Kas.


One of the gorgeous flower heads.


 

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Kas week: Femingia 22092011: Flemingia gracilis / जरतारी from kas


   
 
References:

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