New Distributional Record of Amaranthus emarginatus (Amaranthaceae) for India From the Kashmir Himalaya, With Taxonomic Notes on its two Subspecies

ABSTRACT Amaranthus emarginatus Salzm. ex Uline & W.L. Bray is reported as a new distributional record for India from the Kashmir Himalaya. This record represents a significant range extension of the species into the Indian Himalaya and expands the documented diversity of the Amaranthus blitum aggregate in India. Both recognized subspecies, A. emarginatus subsp. emarginatus and A. emarginatus subsp. pseudogracilis , are documented. A detailed taxonomic treatment, including descriptions, diagnostic characters, a taxonomic note, and photographic illustrations, is provided to facilitate accurate identification. The findings of this study highlight the importance of continued botanical exploration for documenting plant diversity and refining species distributions in the Himalayan region.