Volume 5 > Part 4 > Year 1992 > Page 453 > Umbelliferae > Pimpinella

1. Pimpinella cambodgiana H.Boissieuwfo-0000391031

Bull. Soc. Bot. France 56: 352. 1909; H.Wolff in Pflanzenr. 90. IV. 228: 268. 1927; Chermezon in Fl. Gén. I.-C. 2: 1145. 1923; Craib in Fl. Siam. En. 1: 789. 1931.

Accepted Name : Trachydium cambodgianum (H.Boissieu) M.Hiroe
Dansk Bot. Ark. 20: 194. 1962; Smitinand, Nat. Hist. Bull. Siam. Soc. 21: 105. 1964.

Synonyms & Citations :

Description : Perennial of neat habit; tap root vertical; stems erect ± terete, 30–60cm, much branched. Leaves mostly basal and flower cauline. Basal leaves entire, long-petiolate; lamina broadly ovate to ovate-triangular, 5–13 by 3–9.5 cm, cordate to auriculate, apically acute, ± regularly finely crenate-serrate, glabrous above and below or puberulous below; petiole 1.5–20 cm; upper cauline leaves petiolate entire and serrate to ternate with deeply serrate margins. Umbels lateral and termina 1. Bracts absent. Rays 7–12, pilose to scabridulous, 2–3 cm. Bracteoles linear, shorter than pedicels. Sepals absent. Petals white, obcordate, ca 0.8 by 1 mm, glabrous or ventrally pilose. Fruit ovoid, ca 1.5 by 1.8 mm with a ± dense vesicular indumentum; ridges distinct; stylopodium conical; styles persistent, reflexed.

Thailand : NORTHERN: Chiang Rai (Doi Langka), Mae Hong Son (Khun Yuam), Chiang Mai (Doi Chiang Dao, Chom Thong to Mae Sariang, Om Koi, Mae Sanam, Bo Luang, Pong Pho), Lampang (Mae Mo), Phitsanulok (Thung Salaeng Luang), Tak; NORTH-EASTERN: Loei (Phu Kradueng – type of var. flotoi); SOUTH-WESTERN: Kanchanaburi (Huai Ban Kao, Kriti, Si Sawat).

Distribution : Cambodia (type).

Ecology : Open places in mixed deciduous dipterocarp and pine forests, in open evergreen forests, limestone crevices on mountain ridges, grassy fields, 450–2,170 m alt.

Vernacular : Kham pom Chang (ขามป้อมช้าง)(Northern); phak kat khok (ผักกาดโคก)(Northeastern).

Notes: This is a frequent species in our area (or at least fiequently collected). It is recognized by the simple ± triangular-ovate and cordate basal and lower cauline leaves, and the vesicular-tuberculate fruits. Although some recent authors have reduced it to a synonym of the wide-ranging multiform Sino-Himalayan Pimpinella diversifolia, there seem good reasons to maintain it as a separate species. A revision of the P. diversifolia complex is needed, including such other close allies of P. cambodgiana as P. candolleana Wight & Walker-Arnott (E Himalaya), P. yunnanensis (Franch.) Wolff (SW China) and P. coreacea (Franch.) H.Boiss. (SW China). The vesicular-tuberculate fruits of our taxon are not typical of Pimpinella and it is understandable that Hiroe made a combination in Trachydium where (in the wide sense) this feature is characteristic; however on most other characters our species its well in Pimpinella.