Dianthus orientalis Adam

Dianthus species are annual, biennial or perennial herbs, usually caespitose or somewhat mat-like, stem erect or ascending, simple or branched from the base, angular or terete, glabrous or pubescent, rootstock slender, stout, sometimes rhizomatous. Leaves simple, opposite, linear lanceolate to linear elliptic, base sometimes connate, margin entire, apex acuminate, glaucescent, glabrous or pubescent, usually 1-veined, petiole subsessile to sessile. Inflorescence usually in terminal, open cymes or dense clustered capitula or solitary. Flowers bisexual rarely unisexual, pedicel erect in fruit, bracts paired, margins scarious or herbaceous, bracteoles 1-3 pairs, Calyx tubular, veins 7-20, without scarious commissures, apically 5 toothed, petals 5, free, white, purple, pink, red, tinged or spotted, base clawed, auricles absent, margin lacerate, dentate or rarely entire, apex bifid or emarginated, rarely absent. Stamens usually 10, filaments distinct, anthers 2-locular, dorsifixed, staminodes absent, nectarines present. Ovary superior, unilocular, ovules numerous, staminodes absent, gynophore long, styles 2, filiform, stigmas 2. Fruit capsule, ovoid-cylindrical, dehiscing by 4 teeth, carpophores present. Seeds many, shield shaped, compressed dorsiventrally, blackish brown, embryo erect, papillae tuberculate.

Herb

Dianthus species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary; rarely unisexual. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects, or cleistogamy i.e., by self or allogamy i.e., by cross pollination. Flowering/Fruiting: June-September.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, anemochory i.e., wind dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals.

Perennial herbs, about 10-40 cm tall, laxly to densely caespitose, stem erect or ascending, branched basally and distally, woody at the base, glabrous, glaucous, rootstock stout and woody. Leaves simple, opposite, densely clustered near the base, linear, about 1.2-7 x 0.05-0.3 cm across, base slightly connate, broadened, margin serrulate, apex acuminate, midrib thick, tri-nerved with thick margins, erect, rigid, channeled or not, leaf sheath almost as broad as leaves, petiole sessile. Inflorescence usually in terminal and solitary. Flowers bisexual rarely, pedicel about 2-4 cm long, bracts paired, bracteoles 4-8, oblong-ovate, lower ones cuspidate, sometimes with foliaceous points, about 4-6 mm long, calyx tubular or cylindrical, veins 9-11, broader near the base becoming narrower above, apically 5 toothed, teeth lanceolate, with mucronate tip, glaucous, about 2-2.5 cm long, margins ciliolate, scarious, petals 5, free, obovate-oblong, purple, lilac, white, dark pink, base clawed, exserted, limb fimbriate, about 1/3rd length of the limb. Stamens 10, filaments distinct, anthers 2-locular, dorsifixed, staminodes absent, nectarines present. Ovary superior, unilocular, ovules numerous, staminodes absent, gynophore long, styles 2, filiform, stigmas 2. Fruit capsule, ovoid-oblong, dehiscing by 4 teeth, carpophores present. Seeds many, compressed dorsiventrally, blackish brown, winged.

Dianthus species are susceptible to various insect pests, viruses, root rots, powdery mildews and moulds.

Alpine Himalayas, altitude above 2400 m.

Hill slopes, grasslands, rocky areas, river banks, dry rocky areas

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Used as ornamental.