Dolomiaea baltalensis Dar & Naqshi, J.

Dolomiaea baltalensis Dar & Naqshi, J. View in CoL Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 87(2): 278. 1990. Type: INDIA, Kashmir , Baltal , Sonmarg , Sind valley, G.H. Dar 3899 (holo KASH; iso KASH, E [ E00385497 digital image!]). Fig. 2 View Fig

Perennial herbs, acaulescent. Leaves ovate to elliptic ovate, rounded at the base, 13–16 × 5–7 cm, entire to irregularly lobed, dentate, adaxial surface

Kasana et al. 3

tomentose, abaxial surface densely woolly, petiolate. Petiole 3 to 10 cm long, woolly, sometimes sheathing at the base. Capitula numerous, 7–24 in number, 1.5–2.2 × 0.5–1.5 cm, discoid, peduncle up to 5 cm. Involucral bracts in many rows, acuminate, ovate-lanceolate, imbricate. Florets actinomorphic. Corolla tubular, pinkish-purple, up to 1.5 cm long. Staminal filaments glabrous; anthers sagittate, tails lacerate. Cypsela cuneate-obovoid, 4-angled with an apical pericarpal rim, glabrous, 2.1–2.7 × 0.7–0.9 mm, grey with black wavy fringes. Pappus multiseriate with scabrid bristles, unequal, brown, deciduous as a whole.

Flowering & fruiting: Flowering and fruiting from August to September.

Habitat: It grows on rocky slopes above meadows elevations of 3000 to 3500 m.

Distribution: India, endemic to Jammu & Kashmir. Specimens examined: INDIA, Jammu & Kashmir, Baltal, Sonmarg, Sind valley, 3000 m, 02.09.1982, G.H. Dar 3899 (E [E00385497 digital image]); Pranshur, Sonmarg, Sind valley, 3500 m, 27.08.1983, G.H. Dar 8325 (E [E00385498 digital image]).

Conservation status: This species is a point endemic and known only from the type locality, with only a few mature individuals. Since the type collection it has not been collected from any other potential localities (Singh & Pusalkar, 2020), and its habitat is also facing threats due to deforestation, unregulated road constructions etc. Therefore, the species is assessed here as Critically Endangered [criteria D] as per the guidelines of IUCN (2019).

Notes: Dolomiaea baltalensis is most similar to D. macrocephala in general appearance but differs from the taxon by its tomentose adaxial leaf surface, entire to irregularly lobed leaf lamina and longer peduncles (0.5–4.5 cm long) against hirsute adaxial leaf surface, pinnatifid leaves and shorter peduncles (0.5–1.5 cm long) in D. macrocephala .