Verbascum birjandense and V. urumiense are described as new endemic species of Verbascum from eastern and northwestern Iran. It was not possible to assign the samples of these two taxa to any of the known Verbascum species in Iran and adjacent regions. Collating the morphological characters of the samples against the specialized and pertinent literature of the genus led us to propose them as new species. Both belong to section Bothrosperma, subsection Fasciculata. These new species are morphologically close to V. erianthum and V. songaricum based on some key characteristics, but show some differences in basal leaves shape, pedicel size, the ratio of pedicel to calyx, presence of hairs inside the corolla, and the hair color of the stamen’s filaments. Distribution map and details of important characters are also presented.
Pollen characters of 48 species of Scorzonera s.l. distributed in Iran were investigated by using light and scanning electron microscopy. The pollen grains are isopolar, radially symmetric, generally 3-zonocolporate, rarely 2-colpororate or 4-colporate. The pollen grains are oblate-spheroidal in shape (P/E=0.89 to 0.99) with the polar axes 37.1–58.1 µm and the equatorial axes 38.8–60.6 µm. We adopted the four pollen types recognized by Blackmore based on the number and position of their lacunae. For the first time, some pollen grains of S. longipapposa and S. tortuosissima were shown to have 26 (24+2) lacunae. We compared pollen morphological characters with the findings of the most recent systematic treatment. Type A with 6 lacunae was observed in Takhtajaniantha pusilla and S. parviflora, type B with 18 lacunae in Gelasia, type C with 20 lacunae in Pseudopodospermum and type D with 24 lacunae in Ramaliella, S. renzii and the Podospermum clade (except S. laciniata) in Scorzonera. We also observed 15 or 18 lacunae in S. rupicola. The pollen in Scorzonera appears to evolve toward reduction of spines in S. parviflora, extension of spines in the Podospermum clade, enlargement of the space between ridges and increase in the number of lacunae (S. longipapposa and S. tortuosissima). 26 pollen characters of the examined species were analysed by UPGMA and PCA. Pollen size, spine size, distance between spines, number and arrangement of spines between two equatorail lacunae, exine thickness, spine length/P or E, dimensions of lacunae and polar area were shown to contribute significantly to understanding the morphology of Scorzonera.
Cousinia sect. Stenocephalae is a mainly Iranian section of the genus and the second largest section of Cousinia after C. sect. Cynaroidae. Its members are mainly distributed in Iran. Using nrDNA ITS sequences, together with morphological evidence where possible, we tested the monophyly of C. sect. Stenocephalae as well as the related C. sect. Albidae and C. sect. Cousinia. We reconstructed phylogenetic relationships within these sections by performing a Bayesian analysis on a sample of 153 species of Cousinia, of which 49 species belong to the study sections. The analysis revealed that C. sect. Stenocephalae, Albidae and Cousinia are not monophyletic, which lays stress upon the need of a deep reexamination of the sectional classification in Cousinia using a different approach.
Trisetum spicatum, a widespread arctic and alpine species, is reported for the first time in the flora of Iran. This species was collected from scree habitats above 4000 m a.s.l. of Mt. Damavand (Central Alborz, Alborz range, N. Iran). This new occurrence of the species in the alpine area of Iran highlights the role of high mountains as migration corridors and refugee during interglacial periods. This new record is different from the other species by its habitat characteristics, compact inflorescence and having dense trichomes on whole parts especially on the peduncle. In addition, ecological and floristic characteristics of the habitat of the species are discussed.
Prunus mazandaranica is described as a new species from north Iran. The new species has been placed in the sect. Microcerasus and could readily be distinguished from the closest relative, P. microcarpa subsp microcarpa, Prunus yazdiana, and Prunus paradoxa by indistinct brachyblasts, fasciculate inflorescence of 2–5 sessile or subsessile flowers with 10–12 unequal-sized stamens and glabrous style and ovary. Also, Prunus jacquemontii is recorded for the first time from northeast Iran. It is similar to P. griffithii morphologically, an endemic species distributed in Afghanistan, but distinguished from it by its glabrous leaves and glabrous style and ovary. Micromorphological features of pollen grains and leaf epidermal cells, surface are presented using Scanning Electron Microscopy. The diagnostic traits, a geographic distribution map, and detailed photos of the taxa are also presented here.
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