Rostaniha
Year:2010 | Volume:11 | Issue:2 (39)|Papers Count:12

Four paddy fields in Guilan province in the north of Iran seasonally were sampled from April 2008 to January 2009. Twenty-two morphospecies belonging to three families of the heterocystous blue-green algae were identified. Fourteen species and one variety of these taxa are new record for Iran. Among the families Nostocaceae with six genera and 16 species showed the highest species richness.

Nineteen species of mostly epiphytic lichens from the forests of Nowshahr and Royan located in Mazandaran province (N Iran) are reported. Three species, Ochrolechia pallescens, Phaeophyscia confusa and Usnea longissima, are newly reported for lichenized mycota of Iran and seven species are new to the province. Additionally, a short history of lichenological exploration in the Hyrcanian forest is discussed.

The genus Silene includes 98 species in Iran, with 35 endemic to the Iranian plateau (26 species for Iran). The Iranian species are placed in 21 sections. In this article, the most important characteristics for the separation of the sections, relationships between the sections, and an identification key for the sections in Iran are presented. For each section a distribution map is provided. The most important characters that separate sections are morphology and venation of the calyx, length and pubescence of the anthophore, shape and size of the corolla and coronal scales, capsule and seed. During the work on species existed in Herbarium of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad [FUMH], S. parjumanensis Podl. (Sect. Auriculatae) that had just been reported from Afghanistan in flora Iranica and a new taxon Silene renzii var. khorassanica at a variety level is also described from Iran (southern Khorassan province) for the first time.

The ITS region including the 5.8S gene of rDNA of three desert truffle species were amplified using ITS4 and ITS1 primers. The ITS sequences were compared to those of other related authentic sequences obtained from GenBank. Among 12 specimens studied, seven isolates corresponded to Terfezia claveryi reported by other authors. Iranian T. claveryi specimens had an average similarity of 99.4% (range 98.7–100%) among themselves, while all T. claveryi sequences analyzed had an average of 95.2% (range 87.2–100%) similarity. Four specimens corresponded to Trimania pinoyi, being a sister taxon to Tirmania nivea, of which only one specimen could be studied. Iranian T. pinoyi specimens had an average of 99.9% similarity (range 99.8–100%) among themselves, and 97.2% (range 93.1–100%) between all T. pinoyi sequences compared. All T. nivea sequences, including Iranian specimen, had an average of 96.6% similarity (range 92.2–99.8%). T. claveryi andT. pinoyi are widespread in the country and are mostly associated with Helianthemum salicifolium and Carex sp. Iranian truffles flora resembles those of Mediterranean region and South coast of the Persian Gulf.

One hundred and three Aspergillus isolates belonging to 12 species including: A. alliaceus, A. candidus, A. carneus, A. flavus, A. fumigatus, A. niger var. niger, A. niger var. awamori, A. niveus, A. ochraceous, A. sydowii, A. terreus, A. ustus, andA. versicolor based on morphological characters were obtained from various sources. The isolates were subjected to pectic zymogram electrophoresis. Based on the similarity of isozyme electrophoretic patterns, 45 zymogram patterns were identified. Analyses of the electrophoretic patterns revealed 26 isozyme loci corresponding to the polygalacturonase and pectin estrase. Although the examined species had a considerable intraspecific variation they were finely distinguished using pectic zymogram electrophoresis and no common zymogram pattern was observed among the species. The results imply that pectic zymogram electrophoresis may be used as a helpful approach for delimitation of Aspergillus species.

Tanacetum zahlbruckneri is reported as a new record from northwestern Iran. A complete description, diagnostic characters and a distribution map ofT. zahlbruckneri are presented. The phylogenetic position of T. zahlbruckneri in a concise molecular framework based on the sequences of ITS nrDNA data are presented. A taxonomic conclusion about the previously reported samples of this enigmatic species is given.

Eight species of the genus Cercospora from different localities in Northern provinces of Iran were obtained and examined during spring-autumn 2010. Cercospora acnidae (from Amaranthus chlorostachys var. chlorostachys), C. beticola (from Beta vulgaris), C. iridis (from Iris sp.), C. lactucae-sativae (from Lactuca sativa), C. mercurialis (from Mercurialis annua), C. sorghi (from Sorghum halepense) andC. zonata (from Vicia faba) were identified. Furthermore, C. apii is identified from Abutilon theophrasti, Euphorbia heterophylla, Solanum lycopersicum, Pelargonium zonale, Vigna sinensis and Zanthedeschia aethiopica. Among these, C. acnidae, C. apii, C. iridis, and C. mercurialis are new records and Sorghum halepense is new host forC. sorghi in Iran.

Five smut fungi viz. Microbotryum scorzonerae on Scorzonera caliculata, Sporisorium aristidae-lanuginosae on Stipagrostis plumosa, Sporisorium desertorum on Lasiurus sindicus, Sporisorium foveolati on Dichanthium foveolatum, and Sporisorium vanderystii on Hyparrhenia hirta are reported for the first time for Iranian mycobiota. Sporisorium foveolati is also probably new to Asia. Bellevalia saviczii is also reported as a new host for Antherospora tourneouxii. The latter species was previously known from Iran as Vankya vaillantii on Bellevalia glauca. All recorded species are redescribed and illustrated by microphotographs.

A few specimens collected from northeast of Iran were identified Helvella acetabulum (L.) Quél. (Pezizales, Helvellaceae) (Dennis 1981): Fruit-bodies (apothecia) cup shape, 2–6 cm diam., inner or fertile surface pale brown, glabrous; lower surface yellow brown to brown, with pallid to cream-coloured ribs extending from the stipe base to the cup; margin incurved toward the center when young, irregular and torn in age. Stipe 2–5 cm high, 2–4 cm thick, whitish to pale creamy, deeply ribbed. Asci cylindrical, hyaline, 8-spored. Ascospores broad ellipsoid, hyaline, with an oil droplet, 15–18 × 10–13 µm (Fig.1).Materials examined: W Azarbaijan province, Naghade to Oshnavieh, on soil, 15.5.2010, Aghaalinejhad and Ozzar (IRAN 14727 F); W Azarbaijan province, Piranshahr to Jaldian, on soil, 20.5.2009, Asef (IRAN 14781 F); Kordestan province, Marivan, Negel, on soil, 5.5.2006, Asef (IRAN 14780 F); E Azarbaijan province, Arasbaran, Makidi, on soil, 8.6.2007, Asef (IRAN 14779 F).Cup shape fruit-bodies, ribs on surface of stipe and apothecium clearly distinguish H. acetabulum. Two species, H. leucomelaena (Pers.) Nannf. andH. queletii Bres. also have veined stipe, but the ribs seldom extending to the cup. This fungus has previously been reported from forests of Golestan province (Arefipour et al.2004).