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Pooja Devi, Hrishi Manchanda and Geeta Sharma*
Department of Botany, University of Jammu, Jammu
Email: geetaji@yahoo.com
Received-02.03.2026, Revised-13.03.2026, Accepted-29.03.2026
Abstract: Allium stracheyi Baker, an important species used for seasoning dishes, is endemic to Himalaya. The identified germplasm of this species from Pir-Panjal comprised fifteen populations growing between 2224–3080 masl. The plants of this bear tunicated bulbs, flat leaves and a single long scape bearing umbel inflorescence having trimerous flowers. In just opened flowers, anthers appear at two levels with respect to stigma, with maximum flowers having 3 long and 3 short filaments and minor ones having long and short filaments in proportion of 4:2, 2:4, 1:3median:2. Another interesting condition revealed by this species is distylous, with some flowers having long style and others having short style at the same stage of development. The studied plants differ slightly in flower colour, with more plants of higher reaches bearing inflorescences having light-pink flowers, with plants of lower altitudes bearing outnumbering inflorescence with pale-yellow flowers. The studied A. stracheyi plants of varying altitudes also show variation in the duration of different phenological events. The plants of higher reaches (2600-3100 m) emerge in April ending and depict vegetative growth till July, flower from 1st to 3rd week of August, develop fruits from mid-August to mid-September, show senescence in October and dormancy till April. In the plants of lower altitudes (2300-2500 m), these events get delayed by nearly two weeks. Higher variability existing in phenological behaviour and floral traits in A. stracheyi seems to be the outcome of heterogeneity prevalent with regard to altitude, topography and associated climatic conditions.
Keywords: Allium stracheyi, Pir-Panjal, Heterogeneity, Phenological behaviour
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