Swertia kashmirensis subsp. darii - Whitish Kashmir Swertia

Whitish Kashmir Swertia is a newly (2024) described species which is named in the honor of Prof. G. H. Dar for his significant contribution to the flora of Kashmir Himalaya. It resembles with Swertia kashmirensis in few characters such as nature of rhizome, habit, shape of basal leaves, shape of sepal-cup and nectaries and fruit type. However, it differs in having basal leaves with tips pointed (vs. tips blunt in S. kashmirensis), open flower diameter 1.8-2 cm (vs. 2.2-2.3 cm), sepals 6-8 x 1.6-2.3 mm, (vs. 8-10 x 3-4 mm), petals 6-7.8 x 3-3.7 mm, elliptic-oblong, white with prominent linear bluish nectar guides above and purplish with dull whitish margins below, tips blunt with an apical notch (vs. 10-10.5 x 4-4.5 mm, ovate, yellowish with less prominent nectar guides, tips blunt without an apical notch), nectaries 1.3-1.7 x 0.8-1 mm (vs. 1.2-1.3 x 0.5-0.7 mm), fimbriae 0.5-1 mm long, upright and inverted (vs. 2-3 mm long, inverted), stamens 3.5-4.5 mm long (vs. 6-7 mm long), anthers ovate, sub- dorsifixed, tips apiculate (vs. obovate, dorsifixed, tips blunt), carpel 3-6 x 1.5-3 mm, ovoid (vs. 6-7 x 2-3 mm, ellipsoid), capsule ellipsoid (vs. spherical), seeds 1.5-1.6 x 1-1.2 mm, brownish, round, wings 0.2-0.7 mm wide (vs. 3.5-3.7 x 2.5-3.5 mm, blackish, round-oblong, wings 0.8-1.2 mm wide). Whitish Kashmir Swertia is native to Kashmir. Flowering: August-September.