Cithareloma lehmannii Bunge

Range of variation is not fully known in this species. Siliquae length with number of seeds in it and the pedical length in fruit seems to be highly variable, even on the same plant. Chithareloma registanicum Rech.f.(l.c.249) with 3-5 mm long fruiting pedicels and 25-32 mm long siliquae do not seem to be different from this species. It bridges the gap betseen Chithareloma lehmannii and Chithareloma verum Bunge (in Linnaea 18:49. 1844), a central Asian species, with 2-3 mm long fruiting pedicel and 25-45 mm long siliquae. The three `species' remarkably resemble with each other in all other characters and now the pedicel and siliquae length also show continuous variation. The range of distribution now seems to be more uniform and it seems that they are just variants of a single species. However, this needs confirmation with more gatherings and further studies.

Annual, 10-45 cm tall, branched mostly from below, suberect or spreading, clothed with short, stellate hairs. Leaves very variable, ovate to ovate-oblong, 15-50 mm long, 5-20 mm broad, entire or subentire, stalked to subsessile, upper gradually becoming smaller. Racemes usually 10-15-flowered, up to 15 cm long in fruit. Flowers c. 8 mm across, mauve, purplish or yellowish-white, usually turning whitish with age or when dried; pedicels very variable in length (even on the same plant), (2-)4-10(-15) mm long in fruit, spreading, hardly to slightly thickened. Sepals 6-7 mm long, c. 1.5 mm broad. Petals 10-12 mm long, (1.5-) 2-2.5 mm broad. Stamens c. 6:8 mm long; anthers c. 3 mm long. Siliquae very variable, ovate to oblong, 15-25(-30) mm long, 4-6 mm broad, margin often somewhat undulated between the seeds; valves stellately pubescent, with a distinct mid-vein; stylar beak 2-3 mm long with a conical stigma; gynophore 0.5-1 mm long, usually inconspicuous; septum membranous; seeds (2-)4-8, rarely more, orbicular, 3-4 mm in diameter, narrowly winged.

Distribution: Turkestan, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Fl. Per.: March-May.