Tofieldia Huds., Fl. Angl., ed. 2: 157. 1778.
Taxon Description
Perennial rhizomatous herbs. Leaves basal, distichous, laterally compressed. Scape erect, slender. Inflorescence racemose, bracteate, bearing flowers with distinct pedicels. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, subtended by cupular, 3-lobed bracteoles. Perianth segments 6, free, persistent. Stamens 6, inserted beneath the perianth lobes, slightly exserted; anthers basifixed. Ovary superior, 3-loculed, fused at base; styles 3, free; stigmas 3. Fruit a capsule, apically 3-lobed. Seeds linear-oblong, reddish-brown.
Taxon Statistics
Worldwide about 12 species in the Temperate Northern Hemisphere. One species in Nepal.
1. Tofieldia himalaica Baker, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 17: 489. 1879.
Perennial rhizomatous herbs. Scape erect, 5–20 cm tall. Leaves basal, linear, sword shaped, shorter than scape, 1.6–9 cm X 1.4–2.5 mm wide, margin minutely serrate, apex acuminate, veins 3–5. Lowermost bracts spathe-like, 10-25 X 1–1.6 mm, margin hyaline, sheathless. Inflorescences racemose, with 5–34 ascending pedicellate flowers. Bracts 1–3 mm. Pedicels suberect, 2–6 mm (–7.5 mm in fruit), bracteoles 1–1.5 mm. Perianth segments white to greenish white, oblong to oblanceolate, 3–4 X 0.5–1 mm, single-veined. Stamens 4–5 mm, shortly exserted from perianth, anthers basifixed. Ovary apically 3-lobed, narrowed into 1–1.2 mm long persistent styles. Capsule surrounded by persistent perianth segments, suberect, ellipsoid, 2.5–4 X 2.5–3 mm, apically 3-lobed, with persistent styles. Seeds linear-oblong, ca. 1.5 mm, reddish-brown.
Distribution: Nepal and E Himalaya.
Altitudinal range: 2100–3500 m.
Ecology: Temperate forest on mossy rocks, cliffs and Alpine meadows.
Flowering: June–July. Fruiting: August–September