THE IRANIAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
Year:2006 | Volume:11 | Issue:2|Papers Count:18

Acantholimon albocalycinum is described from SE Iran. It is from the sect. Glumaria and is characterized by having a white calyx. The new species is related to A. subulatum, that it is compared with. A. kermanense is described from Kerman province, Iran. It is from the sect. Acantholimon and seems to be related to A. chrysostegium, A. hyalinum and A. mirtadzadinii and is compared with them. A. sirchense is described from SE Iran. The new species is from the sect. Glumaria and seems to be again related to A. subulatum.  

Among the rich materials collected from different parts of Iran, three new species from Astragalus section Incani DC. including; A. culminates Maassoumi, Kazempour Osaloo & Joharchi, A. elezgensis, Maassoumi & Kazempour Osaloo and A. kalatehensis Maassoumi & Kazempour Osaloo as new species are described and illustrated.  

Nepeta natanzensis Jamzad is described as a new species from Karkas Mountain in Esfahan province. It is related to N. lasiocephala Benth. But differs from it in floral characters, indumentum and bracts. These species belong to the natural group of species in Sect. Capituliferae (Benth.) Pojark. characterized by the capitate inflorescence, corolla and calyx shape. Nepeta trachonitica Post is recorded from NW Iran for the first time.  

The present study has been devoted to the morphological variations within Acacia seyal Var. seyal, one of the multipurpose wide-spread leguminous trees in Africa and Asia. Three categories within this variety, differentiated by bark color, have been studied at mature and seedling's stages. The study has entailed quantitative measurements that ananlysed statistically where significant differences were detected among the measurable data. Consequently, three different forms, following the bark color have been suggested.

Corynomorpha prismatica (J. Agardh) J. Agardh (Corynomorphaceae- Florideophyceae) is reported from the intertidal of Bandar Lengeh (Hormozgan province) in the Persian Gulf and Bandar Chabhar (Sistan and Baloochestan province) in the northern Gulf of Oman. The species is a new record for both the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.  

Five aquatic sites of National Botanical Garden of Iran monthly were sampled from December 2003 through November 2004. 68 genera and species of 10 families and 6 orders of the planktonic Chlorophyceae were identified. Among the families Desmidaceae with 22 genera and species showed the highest species richness. Scenedesmaceae (15 species) and Oocystaceae (14 species), Hydrodictyaceae (7 species), Ulotrichaceae (3 species), Zygnemataceae (2 species), Volvocaceae (2 species) and Cladophoraceae, Oedogoniaceae and Trentephliaceae each with 1 species respectively presented in the studied sites. High population densities of species were observed in the warm months.  

Nostoc ellipsosporum and Nostoc muscorum are recorded for the first time from Iran. These species are collected from paddy fields of Golestan province in North of Iran. Morphological characters are used for identification of the species.  

Foliar anatomy of three species of Chenopodiaceae family including Chenopodium album, Kochia prostrata and Noaea mucronata are studied. Various anatomical characters such as stomatal densities, guard cell length for the adaxial and abaxial epidermis, type of stomata, and density of trichome on surface, cuticle thickness, mesophyll type and variety of crystal are compared. Photosynthesis pathway is C4 in Kochia prostrata and Noaea mucronata. Foliar internal structure of species studied typically is characterized by xerophytes plants accompany by extensive central water-storage tissue which explains Chenopodiaceae adaptation to arid and semiarid area.  

Original chromosome observations including 29 species from 19 families are reported. Of these, the chromosome numbers, for 6 taxa including, Cirsium hygrophilum (Asteraceae), Matthiola longipetala subsp. Bicornis (Brassicaceae), Dianthus orientalis subsp. nassireddini (Caryophyllaceae), Phlomis bruguieri, Salvia leriifolia, Teucrium oliverianum (Lamiaceae) are new observations. Also, new tetraploid level of n=24 for Asyneuma amplexicaule (Campanulaceae) and new diploid level of n=9 for Euphorbia microsciadia (Euphorbiaceae) are reported here for the first time.  

A new species of the genus Astragalus from sect. Incani DC. is described. A. kabutarlanensis with diagnosis and description and with short systematic position notes are given.  

Fourteen new species of Echinops (viz. Echinops abazariae, E. austroiranicus, E. avajensis, E. delicatus, E. kazerunensis, E. kermanshahnicus, E. khansaricus, E. khuzistanicus, E. laricus, E. leiopolyceroides, E. psammophilus, E. sabzevarensis, E. shulabadensis and E. viscidulus) are described and illustrated. Notes on the taxonomic characteristics of the genus, and a revised diagnostic key to the species of Echinops L. are given. The new described species belong to Sect. Oligolepis Bunge, and Sect. Rytrodes Bunge, and are endemic to Iran.  

Taxonomic characters and chorology of rare species of the genus Pedicularis distributed in Iran are given. Another locality for P. strausii is recorded, which is the second documented location of this species in Iran. A diagnostic key to all species of Pedicularis distributed in Iran is provided.  

The genus Malva L. (Malvaceae) is studied taxonomically in Iran, including key to the species, new records, new combination and synonyms. M. verticillata L. and M. aegyptia L. are reported as new name for the flora of Iran. M. leonardi I. Riedl is distinguished as a synonym of M. verticillata. M. iljinii I. Riedl and M. leiocarpa Iljin treated as synonym of M. aegyptia L. var. aegyptia. M. armeniaca IIjin is considered as a variety of M. aegyptia. Seven species are recognized from Iran and the relationships between closed species are discussed. Geographical distribution patterns are given.  

Linaria mazandaranensis and Linaria golestanensis are described as new species from Mazandaran and Golestan provinces. These species belong to the section Speciosae. The new species are compared with their closest relative Linaria genistifolia (L.) Mill. Linaria mazandaranensis differs from Linaria genistifolia in the length and breadth of the corolla, bracts, spur, testa cells form and also length of the seed. L. golestanensis differs from Linaria genistifolia in shorter stem, leaf length and breadth, calyx form, length of pedicel, bracts and seed, form and length of testa cell.