THE IRANIAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
Year:2009 | Volume:15 | Issue:1 (29)|Papers Count:20

The genus Salix in Iran is revised. In this study a living collection of the species in Iran was prepared and used in taxonomic and experimental studies. As a result of this study the total number of species in Iran was increased from 12 to 31. Also, 7 hybrids were recognized in Iran.. The species S. daviesii, S. dinsmorei, S. persica and S. australior were excluded from the synonymy of their related species, S. acmophylla and S. excelsa. Comparing the species in natural habitats and in cultivation several cryptic characters were reevaluated for preparing the key and descriptions. S. zygostemon is shown to be a biparental hibrid of S. cinerea and S. elbursensis. Several new records for Iran such as: S. daviesii, S. persica, S. dinsmorei, S. australior, S. tetrasperma, S. fragilis, S. denticulata, S. pentandra, S. atrocinerea, S. cinerea, S. caprea, S. pedicellata subsp. pedicellata, S. pseudomedemii, S. caucasica, S. caspica, and S. fedtschenkoi were recognized. S. firouzkuhensis, S. lacus-tari, S. viridiformis and S. elymaitica for the first time is described. For all species occurring in Iran key, short notes, habitat, distribution and general distribution are given. All living plants are in Karaj experimental station and the herbarium materials are preserved in the National Herbarium of Iran (TARI).

Karyotype studies were performed in four Astragalus species of A. cornu-carpae, A. mucronifolius, A. talimansurensis from the section Leucocersis and A. crysostachys from the section Hymenostegis. All four species showed 2n=2x=16 chromosome number and had metacentric and sub-metacentric chromosomes. The size of chromosomes varied from 0.75 mm in A. talimansurensis to 4.00 mm in A. cornu-carpae. The species studied differed significantly in the size of their chromosomes and in karyotype formulae indicating the role of quantitative change in the chromatin (DNA) material as well as chromosomes structural changes in the species diversification. The chromosome numbers of all four species studied are new to science. PCA ordination of the species showed their karyotype distinctness and that such data are of no use in the sectional delimitation in Astragalus.

A phylogenetic analysis of Eremurus (Asphodelaceae) based on morphological data is presented. A total of twenty-five characters including 20 gross morphological, 4 palynological and 1 chromosomal characters were analyzed to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships for 24 taxa of Eremurus and Trachyandra malosana plus Asphodelus tenuifolius and two Asphodeline species as outgroups. Maximum parsimony approach as implemented in PAUP* using heuristic search and branch swapping option of tree bisection-reconnection were used for phylogenetic analyses. The analysis of characters with successive weighting using rescaled consistency index generated more resolved and supported trees than the analysis with equally weighting characters. The analyses showed that T. malosana is well allied with a clade of Eremurus species. Among Eremurus species analyzed, E. persicus and a subclade of E. kopetdaghensis and E. luteus comprise the basal most branches as sisters to the remainder. Eremurus subgenus Henningia with 15 taxa was paraphyletic; whereas, nine members of Eremurus subgenus Eremurus formed a well supported monophyletic group for which E. furseorum of the former subgenus was sister taxon. Sections Henningia (of subgenus Henningia) and Eremurus (of subgenus Eremurus) are also appeared to be non-monophyletic while the section Ammolirion (of subgenus Eremurus) is monophyletic. Medium size pollen grain, (25-50 µm) and chromosome number of 2n=14 are shared by Eremurus and Trachyandra. Three characters including non-branched inflorescence, basifixed stamens and ellipsoidal pollen grains are synapomorphies for the genus Eremurus solely. Tubular/campanulate flowers, incurved tepals and tepals with 3-5 nerves are synapomorphies for the subgenus Eremurus. Similarly exerted stamen is a synapomorphy for the subgenus Eremurus and E. forseorum (from subgenus Henningia). The tubular flowers (rather than campanulate) and the thinnest pollen exine are putative synapomorphies for the section Ammolirion. The remaining characters were evolved homoplasiously or ambiguously among these taxa.

Four new species of the genus Cousinia are described from Iran. C. barezica is based on a specimen collected from Barez mountain chains. The species belongs to the section Spinuliferae and related to C. longifolia and C. sicigera. It however, differs from both by having discolored leaves. C. isfahanica another new species from the section Rigidissimae is related C. rigidissima and C. auranti both from Afghanistan. This species has been based on a specimen collected from Isfahan, Semirom. C. maassoumii is described from adjacent localities of Delijan and Arak cities. It is from the section Pugioniferae and most closely related to C. macroptera but having different leaf and indumentum characters. C. pseudocandolleana is described based on specimen from Khorasan province. It is closely related to C. candolleana an endemic of Hamadan province, but differs from it by having stem and stem leaf characters.

Onobrychis iranensis is described and illustrated as a new species from central and eastern Iran. The new species is related to O. tavernieraefolia with that it is compared here. Also the pollen morphology of these tow taxa were studied using scanning electron microscopy. The pollen grains are tri-colpate with reticulate ornamentation. Differences are observed in the size of pollen grains and the type of their aperture shape.

Thymus marandensis Jamzad is described as a species new to science. It is closely related to Th. persicus (Ronniger ex Rech. f. ) Jalas,Th. brachychilus Jalas and Th. leucotrichus Hal. Thymus linearis Benth. subsp.  linearis, Satureja macrosiphonia Bornm. and Micromeria cristata (Hampe) Griseb. subsp. cristata are reported for the first time from Iran. Their distribution patterns are discussed.

Poa damavandica Assadi & Kavousi is described as a new species from Iran based on a specimen has been collected from high altitudes of Damavand Mountain. It belongs to the section Stenopoa subsection Stenopoa. The new species is compared with Poa araratica, P.  sterilis, P. stepposa and P. rangkulensis as close affinities. Moreover, Poa glauca is reported as a new record from Iran collected from Mazandaran province.

Aeluropus lagopoides var. mesoptamica is reported from Iran as a new record. This variety is characterized by the following characters: very short and stiff vegetative leaves, short stem and small capitate inflorescence. A. pungens var hirtulus is also reported as another new record for Iran. A. lagopoides var. repens is as a new combination based on A. lagopoides subsp. repens. These two taxa differ from the typical species by having hairy leaves.

In a taxonomic revision of the genus Papaver in Iran for the preparation of the treatment of Flora of Iran,  Papaver dubium subsp. erosum var. album is described as a new variety. It differs from the typical variety by having white petals. Papaver dubium subsp. erosum var. maculatum is another new variety that differs from the typical variety by having black spots at the base of petals. P. decaisnei var. setosum and var. patulum from the sect Papaver are described as new varieties from C, S, and NE of Iran.  They are distinguished from the typical variety by having appressed or spreading seta on the pedicels respectively. Papaver dubium subsp. glabrum is recorded here from Iran (Karaj and Khorassan province) for the first time. For these taxa, morphological characters, identification key and distribution maps are also presented.

Arthraxon hispidus (Thunb.) Makino var. hispidus (Gramineae) and Carex caryophyllea Latourr.  (Cyperaceae) are recorded for the first time as new genus and species for the flora of Iran. These taxa have been collected from Kiashahr (Gilan prov.) and Arasbaran Protected Area (Azerbaijan prov.) in N and NW of Iran. Taxonomical characteristics, localities, habitats, geographical distributions and the closest genus and species are discussed here.

Pyrus pashia is reported as a new record from NE Iran. This species is distinguished from its closest relative, P. boissieriana, by having more or less ovate, acuminate leaves and fruit size. An illustration of this species in fruit and flower and a geographical distribution map and also photographs of the two species are given.

Among the materials collected from Kurdistan and West Azerbaijan, two new records to Iran namely Lotus aegaeus and Phalaris canariensis were determined. The species are reported and illustrated in this paper. Descriptions of the species are presented.

Marrubium duabense Murata is recorded here for the first time from Iran. This species was known exclusively from Afghanistan; its recording from Iran shows that its distribution is extended to the west to Iran as well. With this record the number of Marrubium species in Iran counts to 11.

Trigonella caerulea (L.) Ser is an annual plant growing as a wild species of Fabaceae family in Iran. This wild fenugreek is described and illustrated for the first time from Ardabil province. In addition, the chromosome numbers of Trigonella caerulea was counted for the first time in Iran. The result showed that the plant is a diploid with 2n=16.

Morphologic characters, meiotic chromosome number and behavior were analyzed in different wild populations of Onobrchis viciifolia Scop. and Onobrychis altissima Grossh. belonging to O. sect. Onobrychis in Iran. All Iranian populations of O. viciifolia and O. altissima studied here were tetraploid and showed 2n=4x=28 chromosome number. The basic chromosome numbers (x=7) is consistent with the proposed base number of x=7 for O. viciifolia and O. altissima. For O. altissima, two ploidy levels (2n=2x=14 and 2n=4x=28) have been reported from Caucasus. Results support the hypothesis that Onobrchis viciifolia and O. altissima are related as a progenitor-derivative pair of species. The fact that no diploid populations of O. altissima were found in Iran, would suggest a relatively recent origin of the species, most probably in Caucasus. Almost these taxa displayed regular bivalent pairing and chromosome segregation at meiosis. Meiotic abnormalities observed included varied degree of sticky chromosomes with laggards and bridges in anaphase to telophase, asynchronous nuclei in metaphase II and desynapsis in metaphase I. Also O. viciifolia Scop. is considered as a new record from this section for Iran. These taxa of the genus are cultivated as fodder in Iran.

In this study, anatomical features of blade and midrib region in 14 species of genus Cotoneaster belonging to two sections Cotoneaster and Chaenopetalum are presented. These species include Cotoneaster nummularioides, C. kotschyi, C. turcomanicus, C. multiflorus, C. nummularius, C. hissaricus, C. luristanicus, C. suavis, C. morulus, C. ovatus, C. discolor, C. assadii, C. melanocarpus and C. persicus. Among 30 studied characters, five characters (quantitative features such as presence of fiber, presence of cuticle and external xylem) are constant in different species. Twenty four characters 24 are variable in several species and several individuals of the same species. Only one character (i.e. number of palisade parenchyma layer) was variable and useful in separation of species.

The high morphological diversity among the species of the genus Verbascum causes problems in the delimitation of the species. Therefore, there is a difficulty in offering a natural and well organized classification for the species of the genus. This research was based on the leaf, seed coat and fruit anatomy, and seed micromorphology of the species growing in Iran. The shape and density rate of epicarpic idioblasts can be a determining character for Verbascum species.Two types of mesophyll were found within the species: Dorsiventral and Isobilateral. Also two types of thickness ratio of endocarp to pericarp (2/3, 1/2) were distinguished. However, a slight difference has been observed in the shape of epidermal cells of seeds and the presence of vesicle on the lateral walls of the epidermal cells of seeds.

Pollen morphology of 25 species of section Stenocephalae Bunge from genus Cousinia Cass. is described and compared using Light and Scanning Electron Microscope. The pollen grains are prolate, isopolar , tricolporate and exine is densely or loosely verrucate. Based on morphological characters, species of this section can be divided to two groups: 1. species with narrow cylindrical heads and leathery leaves, 2. species with ovate heads and herbaceous leaves. The pollen grains of the first group with more than 20 verrucae and the second group with 3-30 verrucae in each 25 µm² of pollen surface are differentiated from each other. Indeed, these two detached grouping for species of sect. Stenocephalae are somewhat supporting each other.

Nonea Medik. is one of the major genera of Boraginaceae tribe Boragineae, with approximately 35 species in the world. In this study we focused on reproductive characters, which are not generally affected by environment. Our selected reproductive characters have been the stigma form, position of stigma towards the anthers, form of faucal scales, color, form and symmetry of flowers and characters of mericarps. An identification key using morphological and micromorphological characters has also been proposed. In the present paper above mentioned characters have been described for the first time in N. turcomanica M. Pop, N. lutea (Desr.) DC. var. flavescens Lipsky, N. persica Boiss. var. suchtelenioides (Riedl) Falatoury & Pakravan, N. diffusa Boiss. et Buhse, N. rosea (Bieb.) Link and N. melanocarpa Boiss. Nonea suchtelenioides H. Riedl has been decreased to the variety level of Nonea persica as N. persica Boiss. var. suchtelenioides (Riedl) Falatoury & Pakravan.