Abstract

The goal of the study is to provide a comprehensive taxonomic account of 12 endemic species of Astragalus occurring in India. The north-west Himalayan region harbors more endemic species (11 spp.) than eastern Himalaya where only two species have been noticed from Sikkim. Jammu & Kashmir with seven species occupies first position in the list of endemic species. Five species are strictly confined to Jammu & Kashmir, while two species to Uttaranchal and one species to Sikkim. Only one species (A. tenuicaulis) is found in both the Himalayas, otherwise the elements of both the Himalayas are quite distinct from each other. Most of the endemic species of Astragalus have been observed quite rare in the nature except A. uttaranchalensis. In the present investigation, A. turgidus, a newly described species from Jammu & Kashmir, has been found conspecific to A. kashmirensis. For each species nomenclature, description, distribution, phenology, taxonomic notes, list of the investigated materials, distribution map and figures are given. A new combination A. falconeri var. pilosus (Ali) Chaudhary has been proposed based on A. hoffmeisteri var. pilosus Ali. A new endemic species A. nainitalensis from Kumaon Himalaya has also been described here along with illustrations.

中文摘要

本研究針對印度產12個紫雲英屬(Astragalus)特有種提出完整的分類說明。在喜馬拉亞西北部區域總共孕育了11個紫雲英屬特有種，而東部喜馬拉亞區域僅在錫金發現2個特有種。Jammu和Kashmir地區之特有種高居首位，共有7種。其中5種為Jammu和Kashmir地區所特有，有兩種分布到Uttaranchal，另一種還分布到錫金。只有一種紫雲英(A. tenuicaulis)分布於東西喜馬拉亞兩個區域。其餘均明顯只分布在東部或西北部喜馬拉亞局部的範圍。除了Astragalus uttaranchalensis之外，大多數的紫雲英特有種都相當稀有。在本調查中發現最近所描述採自Jammu和Kashmir地區的新種A. turgidus，和A. kashmirensis應是同一種。本文提供各個種的名稱、描述、分布、花期物候、分類註解、研究標本、分布圖和照片。本文並依據A. hoffmeisteri var. pilosus Ali提出新組合名A. falconeri var. pilosus (Ali) Chaudhary。同時發表採自喜馬拉亞Kumaon地區的新特有種A. nainitalensis。

Keyword: Astragalus, Endemism, Fabaceae, India, new combination, new species, 紫雲英屬, 特有性, 豆科, 印度, 新組合, 新種