THE IRANIAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
Year:2017 | Volume:23 | Issue:2 |Papers Count:12

The genus Elymus has been studied to prepare the draft of Elymus for the Flora of Iran. In this research, the plant specimens of Central Herbarium of Iran (TARI) were identified and a new key of the Iranian species of the genus Elymus is presented. Delimitation of the genus is discussed. Among the specimens, a new species from Zagros Mountain ranges was recognized which is described and illustrated as E. shirazicus. The new species is well characterized among the Iranian species of the genus by caespitose habit, having densely imbricate spikelets with none or short awns. Elymus shirazicus seems to be related to E. transhyrcanus but well distinguished by narrower spikes and much shorter rachis internodes. Elymus dorudicus based on E. nodosus subsp. dorudicus is introduced as a new combination. Elymus lazicus subsp. iranicus is described as a new subspecies.

During the study of the plants collected from South-East Iran (Baluchestan), a specimen was identified as Coelachyrum brevifolium which is reported as a new record to the flora of Iran. The genus was previously known with one species (C. piercei) in Iran. Unlike C. piercei, the species is an annual plant. Morphological characteristics, habitat, images, distribution map and identification key to the species of the genus in Iran are presented.

The specimens of Urochondra setulosa from Poaceae were collected for the first time from Southeast of Iran, in the coastal hills of Oman Sea in Balochestan Province. It is specific in the area, because of being a halotolerant, termophile species and having two regeneration mechanisms, by seed and rhizome.

During field works in Qazvin and West Azarbaijan provinces, some interesting specimens of the genus Silene were found. Silene capitellata (sect. Capitellatae) which is mostly growing in Turkey has been collected in Qazvin, Alamout Mountains. S. retinervis (sect. Auriculatae) was described from Ghandil Mountain of Iraq by Ghazanfar, were collected in three localities from Pyranshahr and Ziveh of West Azarbaijan province. In this article, these two perennial species are reported as new records in Iran. The taxonomical description, geographical distribution and the ecology of the new records are provided and their photographs and illustrations are presented.

The research was conducted in Ustyurt that is one of the arid zones of Central Asia (Uzbekistan). The method of the research was rout-floristic and classical of morphologic-geographical studies. Two new records including Astragalus vulpinus Willd. & Centaurea apiculata Ledeb. are reported for the flora of Ustyurt. These specimens were collected by the author have been entered in the database for the flora of the Ustyurt in TASH.

Complex processing of Cousinia section Acanthotoma mainly on the basis of studying herbarium specimens stored in Central Herbarium Institute of the Gene Pool of Plants and Animals of Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan (TASH) has led to increase the number of taxa. С ousinia eriotricha Juz. and С ousinia sarawshanica C. Winkl., which are reported as new records for the flora of Uzbekistan. New location was found for С . eriotricha from Hissar, Alay and Nurata ranges of the Uzbek part of these territories. Their maps, descriptions and distributions are given.

Determining the boundaries of genera in subtribe Trigonellinae Small has been one of the most controversial taxonomic issues in this field in last 100 years. Proposing the many characters for separating these genera by various botanists can be considered as a reason for this claim. Characters of the flower parts as well as other vegetative traits have been used extensively. Here on the basis of 5 qualitative and 19 quantitative flower characters we separated Trigonella species (especially perennial section Ellipticae (Boiss. ) Sirj. ) from other genera of this subtribe and showed the results in dendrogram and scatter plot. Placement of the Medicagoid species of section Bucerates (Boiss. ) Sirj. and Medicago L. in one branch and presence of Melilotus indicus (L. ) All. along with other Trigonella species (except section Ellipticae as a distinct branch) are the main results of this investigation.

Leaf anatomy of 17 taxa of the genus Hieracium belonging to two subgenera and six sections was examined using light microscopy in order to evaluate its systematic important. The studied anatomical characteristics show considerable variability among different species but are constant among different populations of one species. 28 characters were examined and among them, some characters have taxonomic value and can be used in delimitation of subgenera, sections, subsections and species. The most important characters are: presence or absence of lateral vascular bundles; main midrib shape; the thickness of epidermis, parenchyma, collenchyma and cuticle; the length of vascular bundles, xylem and phloem; lamina symmetry; the number of lateral vascular bundles and in few cases stomata size, the shape of epidermal cells and anticlinal walls. Moreover, an identification key to leaf anatomy of the species of Hieracium in Iran is given.

Cheilanthes persica (Bory) Mett. ex Kuhn. (Pteridaceae) is one of the resurrection ferns that fully dries during drought stress and after re-watering will be revived. Fresh material obtained from Kermanshah province, west of Iran (Tagh-e-bostan) and cultured in growth chamber and its developmental stages and life cycle were examined. The spore morphology was studied. The spore had tetrahedral tetrad with discontinuous microreticulate ornamentation.

The present study reports somatic chromosome numbers of 7 species belong to 6 families from Iran. The chromosome numbers of Epilobium palustre (2n=36), Geranium pyrenaicum (2n=26), Sium sisarum (2n=20), Veronica beccabunga (2n=18) were reported for the first time for the flora of Iran. Ferula persica (2n=22) and Tragopogon jesdianus (2n=12) are reported for the first time. The report for Bromus scoparius (2n=28) is the second count for the species in Iran. Ideograms are depicted for each species.

Fifty-three lichens are reported from NE Iran based on samples collected in semi-desert areas. Four species are new to Iran (Caloplaca albovariegata, Lecidea promixta, Rinodina afghanica and Schaereria fuscocinerea) and 17 species are new to the north east of the country. Furthermore, new localities are reported for 32 species in the region.

Despite the scientific and strategic importance of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman as well as a significant number of articles, there are still gaps in knowledge about their ecosystems. The knowledge on species composition and morphology of armored dinoflagellates in the vicinity of Hormuz Island (the Strait of Hormuz) are presented. Totally, 99 species (109 infra-specific taxa), belonging to 1 class. 6 orders, 13 families and 24 genera are reported. Seven species and 11 infra-specific taxa were found for the first time. Some new taxa are provided with the original descriptions and photographs. Moreover, based on a critical review of the literature on dinoflagellates discovered in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman up to the present investigation, a pilot checklist of dinoflagellates numbered 363 infra-specific taxa belonging to 81 genera was composed. By summing up previous and present knowledge, it turns out that the number of dinoflagellates recorded in these water bodies makes up 374 infra-specific taxa until now. The multispecies genera Ceratium and Protoperidinium made the greatest contribution to phytoplankton populations.