Caryophyllaceae
Mesostemma

Mesostemma kotschyanum (Fenzl ex Boiss.) Vved.

First published in Bot. Mater. Gerb. Bot. Inst. Uzbekistansk. Fil. Akad. Nauk S.S.S.R. 3: 4 (1941)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is E. Türkiye to S. Turkmenistan and W. & N. Pakistan. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Ghazanfar, S. A. & Edmondson, J. R (Eds). (2016) Flora of Iraq, Volume 5 Part 1: Elatinaceae to Sphenocleaceae.

Morphology General Habit
Perennial herbs
Morphology Stem
Stems erect to 45 cm, diffusely branched, glabrous (in Iraq)
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 10–40 × 4–6(–10) mm, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, glabrous, sessile, sometimes base slightly cordate in upper leaves; apex acute
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts to 4.5 mm, linear-lanceolate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel
Pedicels up to 16 mm in dichasium, glabrous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx cylindrical; sepals 5–6 m, ovate-lanceolate with scarious margins, glabrous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 5–6 mm, bilobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Styles 2
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule teeth 4
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 1–2, tuberculate
Ecology
Mountain sides, rocky slopes in Quercus forests ; alt. 1200–3100 m;
Phenology
Flowering: Jun.–Aug.
Distribution
Iraq: Upper forest and thorn-cushion zones. Turkey, NN Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Note
All Iraq specimens seen are glabrous. Some specimens from Iran are completely glabrous whilst others subglabrous to entirely pubescent.
[FIQ]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora of Iraq

    • Ghazanfar, S. A., Edmondson, J. R. (Eds). (2013-2019). Flora of Iraq, Volumes 5.1, 5.2 and 6.0. Kew Publishing
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0