Flora of Bhutan Umbelliferae: Osmorhiza

Osmorhiza Rafinesque Mark F. Watson

Erect perennial or biennial herbs. Leaves ternately 2-pinnate. Umbels compound; bracts present or absent; bracteoles usually present. Flowers hermaphrodite or male. Calyx teeth obsolete. Petals entire. Styles slender spreading, stylopodium conical. Fruit elongate club-shaped, terete, bristly.

Osmorhiza aristata (Thunberg) Rydberg

Osmorhiza claytonii C.B.Clarke [sensu Flora of British India]

Stems 30–90cm, sparsely villous. Basal and cauline leaves triangular-ovate in outline, up to 28 x 24cm (including petiole), occasionally conspicuously smaller, sparsely pilose beneath; ultimate segments ovate, entire or deeply ternately divided, (0.2–)2–6(–9) x (0.2–)1–6(–9)cm, apex attenuate. Peduncles 9–20cm; umbels 2–6-rayed, 2–3cm across in flower; rays 1–2cm long in flower, extending to 3.5–10cm in fruit, widely diverging; bracteoles narrowly lanceolate, 0.5–1.5cm, spreading to deflexed; pedicels 0.5–1cm in flower; umbellules with 1–6 hermaphrodite flowers whose pedicels elongate to 1–3cm in fruit, male flowers appear clustered at base of infructescence as their short filiform pedicels do not extend. Petals white or cream, c 1mm. Styles 1–1.5mm. Fruits blackish at maturity, 15–20 x 1.5–2mm, long attenuate into the pedicel, sparsely covered with upward pointing bristles, densest at base.

Bhutan: C—Thimphu district (Drugye Dzong, Motithang and Tsalimaphe) and Tongsa district (Chendebi).

Ecology: Damp banks in shaded woodland. 2300–3050m.
Flowers May–June.

Illustration [Fig. 48: m-o]

Specimen List [9763]

Note: The above plant with less dissected leaves has been referred to var. laxa (Royle) Constance & R.H.Shan.

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