Hypecoum leptocarpum
Hook. f. & Thomson, Fl. Ind. 1: 276. 1855; Hook. f., Fl.
Brit. India 1: 120. 1872.
Ladakh: Parpapata.
Herbs, 15 - 35 cm high. Leaves rosulate, 2 - 3 pinnatisect; upper leaves sessile or subsessile; basal leaves 7 - 17 x 1 - 2 cm; pinnae 4 - 8 pairs, sessile, distant, deeply divided into elliptic acute lobes; petiole base winged. Flowering stems slender, 15 - 35 cm long, branched; pedicels slender, ascending; bracteoles filiform; flowers purple, pinkish or white with purple streaks, often yellow inside, 0.8 - 1.5 cm across. Sepals entire, 2.5 - 3 x 1.5 - 2 mm. Outer 2 petals entire, not lobed,obtuse,keeled at apex,9 - 10 x 5 - 6 mm; inner 2 deeply 3-lobed, 5 - 6 x 4 - 4.5 mm; middle lobes spathulate, hooded; outer lobes obtuse. Stamens 5 - 6 mm long; filaments ca 3.5 mm long, ca 1 mm thick; anthers ca 1.5 mm long, basifixed, linear-oblong, each locule with a minute apical projection and with 2 glands at base of filament. Ovary ca 8 mm long; style very short; stigmas 2, slender, recurved, ca 1.5 mm long. Capsules narrowly linear, fragmenting into 8 - 18 segments, 2.5 - 3.5 cm long, 2 - 3 mm thick; seeds brown, oblong.
Fl. & Fr. June - Oct.
Distrib. India: Temperate and alpine Himalayas, hillsides and riverbanks, 2700 - 5000 m. Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Sikkim.
Nepal, Bhutan, China, Mongolia, Japan and Afghanistan to Russia.
Notes. The latex contains the alkaloid protopine which has narcotic action. The species varies much in size and form, those growing at low elevations are usually taller than those at higher elevations.
Herbs, 15 - 35 cm high. Leaves rosulate, 2 - 3 pinnatisect; upper leaves sessile or subsessile; basal leaves 7 - 17 x 1 - 2 cm; pinnae 4 - 8 pairs, sessile, distant, deeply divided into elliptic acute lobes; petiole base winged. Flowering stems slender, 15 - 35 cm long, branched; pedicels slender, ascending; bracteoles filiform; flowers purple, pinkish or white with purple streaks, often yellow inside, 0.8 - 1.5 cm across. Sepals entire, 2.5 - 3 x 1.5 - 2 mm. Outer 2 petals entire, not lobed,obtuse,keeled at apex,9 - 10 x 5 - 6 mm; inner 2 deeply 3-lobed, 5 - 6 x 4 - 4.5 mm; middle lobes spathulate, hooded; outer lobes obtuse. Stamens 5 - 6 mm long; filaments ca 3.5 mm long, ca 1 mm thick; anthers ca 1.5 mm long, basifixed, linear-oblong, each locule with a minute apical projection and with 2 glands at base of filament. Ovary ca 8 mm long; style very short; stigmas 2, slender, recurved, ca 1.5 mm long. Capsules narrowly linear, fragmenting into 8 - 18 segments, 2.5 - 3.5 cm long, 2 - 3 mm thick; seeds brown, oblong.
Fl. & Fr. June - Oct.
Distrib. India: Temperate and alpine Himalayas, hillsides and riverbanks, 2700 - 5000 m. Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Sikkim.
Nepal, Bhutan, China, Mongolia, Japan and Afghanistan to Russia.
Notes. The latex contains the alkaloid protopine which has narcotic action. The species varies much in size and form, those growing at low elevations are usually taller than those at higher elevations.
