Youngia nilgiriensis
Encyclopedia
Youngia nilgiriensis is an endangered perennial herb. It is endemic to the Sispara
area of the Kundah range of the Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu
, South India
characterised by vast stretches of grassland
s interrupted by numerous shola
s at an altitude of around 2060 metres (6,758.5 ft). It is listed as an endangered species
in the Red Data Book on Indian Plants.
The plant is 30–47 cm (11.8–18.5 ) high. Radical leaves
are 10 centimetre × 13 millimetre, oblanceolate, Iyrate-pinnatifid, acute, upper surface puberulous, lower surface glabrous; petiole
long; cauline leaves: lower ones similar to radical leaves or acuminate; upper ones sessile, lanceolate, acuminate-caudate.
Sispara
[Image:Peacocke-Travellers Bungalow, Sispara.jpg|thumb|350px|View to the west, of Sispara bungalow and Sispara peak across the stream in Sispara pass from the Sispara ghat trail...
area of the Kundah range of the Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
characterised by vast stretches of grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
s interrupted by numerous shola
Shola
Sholas are patches of stunted evergreen tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest found in valleys amid rolling grassland in the higher montane regions of South India. These patches of shola forest are found mainly in the valleys and are usually separated from one another by undulating...
s at an altitude of around 2060 metres (6,758.5 ft). It is listed as an endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
in the Red Data Book on Indian Plants.
The plant is 30–47 cm (11.8–18.5 ) high. Radical leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are 10 centimetre × 13 millimetre, oblanceolate, Iyrate-pinnatifid, acute, upper surface puberulous, lower surface glabrous; petiole
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
long; cauline leaves: lower ones similar to radical leaves or acuminate; upper ones sessile, lanceolate, acuminate-caudate.
- FlowerFlowerA flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s are yellow. HeadHead (botany)The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
s are 2–4 together, about 13-flowered. - PedunclePeduncle (botany)In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.The peduncle is a stem, usually green and without leaves, though sometimes colored or supporting small leaves...
is 15 mm (0.590551181102362 in) long, glabrous. Involucre 8 millimetre long, glabrous, dark green. - Corolla is 9 millimetre long; ligule 2 mm broad, dentate, 1.0–1.5 mm long; tube 2 mm long, acuminate.
- Anthers are 2 mm long; appendages 0.25 mm long, acuminate; filament 1 mm long.
- AcheneAcheneAn achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
s is 5 mm long, sub-compressed, apex pale and strongly attenuate, base scarcely attenuate, ribs 12–14, unequal, brown. - PappusPappus (flower structure)The pappus is the modified calyx, the part of an individual disk, ray or ligule floret surrounding the base of the corolla, in flower heads of the plant family Asteraceae. The pappus may be composed of bristles , awns, scales, or may be absent. In some species, the pappus is too small to see...
is 5 mm long, 2–3 serrate, ash-grey.