Lasiocaryum munroi (C. B. Clarke) I. M. Johnst. (1925: 46)

Chacón, Juliana, Siwakoti, Mohan, Hilger, Hartmut H. & Weigend, Maximilian, 2017, Dwarves on the roof of the world: A taxonomic revision of the Himalayan Lasiocaryeae Weigend (Boraginaceae), Phytotaxa 297 (1), pp. 1-14 : 10-11

1. Lasiocaryum munroi (C. B. Clarke) I. M. Johnst. (1925: 46)

Basionym:— Eritrichium munroi C. B. Clarke in Hooker (1883: 165). Lectotype (designated by Kazmi 1970: 393):— INDIA. Sikkim: North Sikkim District, India, Sikkim, Lachen, 13000–14000 ft., J. D. Hooker 13 (K, CAL, GH!). Syntypes:— INDIA. Uttarakhand: India, Kumaon [“Kunawur“ in Protologue], 14,000 ft., 14 August 1844, Munro 2730 (K341927!);— INDIA. Uttarakhand: India, Kumaon, Strachey & Winterbottom, Ralam, 11500 ft, R. Strachey & J. E. Winterbottom s.n. (GH!).

≡ Oreogenia munroi (C. B. Clarke) I. M. Johnston (1924: 66)

= Microcaryum diffusum Brand (1925: 101). Lectotype (designated by Banerjee & Bhattacharjee 1985: 36):— INDIA. Himachal Pradesh: Kumaon, Rilam [Ralam] Valley, 13000–15000 ft., 24 August 1884, J. F. Duthie 3196 (lectotype DD; isolecto. BM!, CAL, K001067028 !). Syntypes:— INDIA. Sikkim: British Garwáhl: Felsen oberhalb Bhonáni , Duthie 4227 (DD). Sikkim , Nurghil, W. W. Smith 4185 (WRSL) .

≡ Lasiocaryum diffusum (Brand) I. M. Johnst. (1940: 51)

≡ Setulocarya diffusa (Brand) R. R. Mill & D. G. Long in Mill (1996: 113)

≡ Lasiocaryum munroi I.M. Johnst. var. diffusum (Brand) Mehrotra & Aswal (1985: 608), invalid since, here validated with basionym reference— Microcaryum diffusum Brand (1925: 101)

Description:—Shortlived annual herbs, with ephemeral or persistent leaf rosette; ca. 1–8 cm tall overall; stems simple or branched from base, primary shoot and later shoots unequal in length, primary shoot 1–3(–8) cm long, usually with numerous lateral shoots 1–7 cm long, usually spreading. Leaves with lamina ovate, rarely obovate, 5–12 × 1–3.5 mm, apex acuminate, base narrowed, subsessile, adaxially and abaxially pubescent, trichomes soft, 0.5–1 mm long, not exceeding distal leaf margin. Flowers arising in terminal monochasia, initially densely crowed, pedicels 1 mm apart and 0.5–1 mm long, later elongating with pedicels up to 5.5 mm apart and up to 2.5 mm long; calyx divided to base, lobes narrowly obovate, ca. 1–2 × 0.2–0.5 mm, densely pubescent; corolla hypocrateriform, limb 1–2 mm wide, white or very pale blue, tube ca. 1–1.5 mm long, lobes ovate, glabrous, tube with yellow faucal scales, indistinctly two-lobed; anthers broadly ovoidal, included, <1 mm long; style 1–1.5 mm; stigma subglobose. Nutlets erect, ovoidal, ca. 0.8–1.4 × 0.4–0.5 mm, with transverse, pubescent with parallel rows of trichomes, adaxially keeled, adaxially attached with suprabasal, ovate cicatrix to subulate gynobase.

Notes: — Lasiocaryum munroi is a commonly collected species. The typical morphology of L. munroi occurs in sunnier and drier sites, where it usually shows a compact habit and short internodes. Specimens from moister and more shaded habitats differ substantially in size and habit, generally showing elongating internodes and a more or less lax branching pattern; this form has been treated as Lasiocaryum “ diffusum ” in the past. Very few specimens of L. munroi deposited in herbaria have mature nutlets; specimens with immature nutlets have been mistaken for a different genus/ species in the past ( Setulocarya ).

Distribution and habitat: —Widespread at high elevations from Bhutan to Nepal and India. Occurs in open, often disturbed sites, on gravel slopes and sandy, dry river banks, elev. (3650–) 4200–5150 m.

Specimens examined:— BHUTAN. Shingbe: Me La , 14500 ft., 24 June 1949, F. Ludlow, G. Sheriff, J. H. Hicks 20398 ( GH!) ;— INDIA. Kashmir: Ladakh, Munu , 14500 ft., 17 July 1931, W. Koelz 2358a ( GGH!) ; Tsakzhun Tso, Ladakh, Kashmir , 15000 ft., 21 July 1931, W. Koelz 2402 ( GH!) ;— NEPAL. Lamjung: Langung Himal , 14500 ft., 13 July 1954, Stainton, Sykes & Williams 6468 ( BM!) ; Manang: Khangsar , 27 July 1950, 15000 ft., D. G. Lowndes 1249 ( BM!) ; Rasuwa: Chilime Kharka , 17000 ft., July 1949, O. Polunin 1444 ( BM!) ; Khola Karka , 13000 ft., 17–19 July 1949, O. Polunin 1110 ( BM!) ; Langtang , 11500–12500 ft., 21 June 1949, O. Polunin 449 ( BM!) ; Mustang: Taglung , S of Tukucha, Kali Gandaki, 14000 ft., 16 July 1954, Stainton, Sykes, Williams 1839 (A!, BM!, KATH!) ; Tukucha, Kali Gandaki, 12500 ft., 21 July 1954, Stainton, Sykes & Williams 1903 (A!, BM!, KATH!) ; Muktinath , 13500 ft., 28 July 1954, Stainton, Sykes, Williams 2062 (A!, BM!) ; Sauwala Khola , 12500 ft., 22 July 1954, Stainton, Sykes, Williams 3574 ( BM!) ; Sankhuwsabha: Iswa Khola , 14500 ft., 02 October 1975, L. W. Beer 25543 ( BM!) ; Khumbakarna Himal, Makalu, upper Barun Valley , 4950 m, 16 September 1972, T. Wraber 34514 ( BM!) ; Jumla: Bhurchula Lakh, near Jumla , 12000 ft., 15 July 1952, Stainton, Sykes, Williams 4694 (A!, BM!) ; Maharigaon , 5 miles NE of Maharigaon, 24 July 1952, 14000 ft., O. Polunin, W. R. Sykes, L. H. Williams 294 (A!, BM!) ; Maharigaon , 3 miles NE of Maharigaon, 24 July 1952, 15500 ft., O. Polunin, W. R. Sykes & L. H. Williams 301 ( BM!) ; East Nepal: Tasagon (4350 m), Topke Gola (3600m), 17 August 1977, H. Ohashi et al. 770892 ( KATH!) ; Sagarmatha zone, Solukhumbu district, around Beni Kharka ( Dambuk ), 3970 m, 23 August–01 September 1985, H. Ohba et al. 8531033 ( KATH!) ; Koshi zone, Sankhuwasabha district, Jaljale Himal, Shuwan Kharka (near Panch Pokhari ), 4100 m, a pass (4360 m), Topke Gola (3570 m), 07 August 1991, H. Ohba et al. 9110378 ( KATH!) ;— NEPAL. Not localized: Lauri vinayak, 12550 ft., 27 July 1967, S. B. Malla 9248 ( BM!). Mahalangur Himal, Khumbu, Gorak Shep , 5150 m, 22 September 1962, J. Poelt s.n. (BM!, M!) ; near Balanga Pass , 14000 ft., 26 July 1952, O. Polunin, W. R. Sykes, L. H. Williams 2581 ( BM!) ; W of Hongu Khola & Mera , N 27° 45´, E 086° 45´, 16000 ft., 04 July 1964, D. McCosh 372 (BM!, KATH!) .