2. Ophiopogon Ker Gawler, Bot. Mag. 27: t. 1063 (1807).
Flueggea Richard
By: Srijana Shah and Rajendra Acharya
Taxon Description
Perennial rhizomatous herbs. Rhizome stoloniferous or non-stoloniferous. Roots spindle-shaped to cylindrical, often with fleshy tubers at the middle or tip, tapered at both ends. Stem very short or indistinct. Leaves sessile or petiolate, simple, basal rosette, tufted, grass-like, distinct midrib, glabrous, membranous, sheathing base, scape present. Inflorescences a raceme or reduced panicle, axillary, axis unbranched, few- to many-flowered, bract and bracteole present. Flowers borne singly or in clusters, bisexual, actinomorphic, perigynous, campanulate to opening flat; pedicel articulate; single bract and bracteole present. Tepals 6, arranged in two whorls, free, petaloid, with distinct midrib, white to purplish. Stamens 6, epiphyllous; anthers dithecous, basifixed; filaments very short, adnate to the perianth leaves. Carpels 3, syncarpous. Ovary inferior, trilocular, ovules 1-2 per locule. Style 1, columnar; stigma simple or capitate. Fruit a berry, fleshy, globose to slightly oval, bluish to dark purplish at maturity, indehiscent. Seed 1, rarely 2, with sarcotesta.
Taxon Statistics
Worldwide about 85 species in warm-temperate, subtropical, and tropical Asia. Two species in Nepal.
Key to Species
1a Rhizome long, creeping, stoloniferous. Leaves narrow, 3–5 mm, 5–7-veined. Inflorescence 2–6-flowered ………………… 1. O. clarkei
b Rhizome short, thick, non-stoloniferous. Leaves broader, 3–10 mm, 5–9-veined. Inflorescence 15–30- flowered ….2. O. intermedius
1. Ophiopogon clarkei Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 268 (1892).
Mondo dracaenoides var. clarkei (Hook.f.) Farw.
Herbs 20–35 cm. Rhizome long, creeping, up to 5 mm thick, stoloniferous. Roots slender to spindle-shaped, tubers oblong to ovoid, 2.5–3 mm thick. Stem indistinct. Leaves linear to narrowly lanceolate, 10–30 X 3–5 mm, apex acute, margin minutely serrulate, 5–7-veined. Scapes 10–20 cm, usually shorter than leaves, slender to cylindrical, straight or flexuous. Inflorescence a reduced panicle, 2–5 cm, 2–6-flowered fascicles. Bracts pale green, lanceolate to narrowly ovate, 1–2 cm, almost equal to flower, membranous; bracteole linear, 0.5–1 cm, membranous. Flowers solitary or paired; pedicel 3–5 mm. Tepals white, sometimes flushed with pink or purple, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 6–9 X 2–3 mm. Filaments pinkish white, 1–2 mm; anthers green, oblong to elliptic, 3.5–4 mm. Ovary ovoid to subglobose, 1–1.5 mm; style white, 5–5.5 mm; stigma capitate. Berries bluish at maturity, globose to ovoid, 5–7 mm. Seed creamish, globose, 4–5 mm.
Distribution: Nepal, E Himalaya, Tibetan Plateau, Assam-Burma and E Asia.
Altitude: 1500–3500 m.
Ecology: Forests, scrub forests, cliffs, stream sides.
Flowering: May–August. Fruiting: August–October.
Note: Description of fruit is based on literatures.
2. Ophiopogon intermedius D.Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal. 48 (1825).
Flueggea intermedia (D.Don) Kunth; Ophiopogon parviflorus (Hook.f.) H.Hara; Ophiopogon wallichianus (Kunth) Hook.f.
वन कसुर Ban Kasur, गाडे माला Gade mala (Nepali).
Herbs 25–60 cm. Rhizome short, thick, up to 8 mm thick, non-stoloniferous. Roots spindle-shaped to cylindrical, tubers oblong to ovoid, 4–5 mm thick. Stem indistinct. Leaves linear to linear-lanceolate, 15–60 X 3–10 mm, apex acute, margin minutely serrulate, 5–9-veined. Scapes 15–35 cm, equal to or shorter than leaves, sometimes slightly flattened and narrowly winged, straight or flexuous. Inflorescence a reduced panicle, 5–11 cm, 15–30-flowered fascicles. Bract pale green, linear to lanceolate, 6–10 mm, membranous, bracteole linear, 2–5 mm, membranous. Flowers solitary or sometimes in clusters of 2 or 3; pedicel 4–9 mm. Tepals white or pale purple, oblong or ovate-lanceolate, 5–6 X 2–2.5 mm. Filaments ca. 0.5 mm; anthers pale green, linear to oblong, 2.5–4 mm. Ovary globose, 1.5–2 mm; style white, 3–4.5 mm; stigma simple. Berries bluish to dark purplish at maturity, globose to slightly oval, 6–8 mm. Seed pale white, globose, 4–6 mm in diam.
Distribution: Nepal, W Himalaya, E Himalaya, Tibetan Plateau, Assam-Burma, E Asia and SE Asia.
Altitude: 700–3000 m.
Ecology: Evergreen broadleaved forests, mixed forests, bamboo forests, scrub, moist and shady places along streams, grassy slopes.
Flowering: May–August.
Fruiting: August–January.