The genus Iris L. s. l. (Iridaceae) in the Mountains of Central Asia biodiversity hotspot

Abstract

The novel, phylogeny-based classification of Iris s.l. in the Mountains of Central Asia biodiversity hotspot has been developed. Fifty seven species are accepted and classified into 14 sections. The majority of accepted species (38) belong to the juno irises, which have a centre of their diversity in Central Asia and are represented by 2 sections; the largest I. sect. Juno is subdivided into 10 species groups, whereas I. sect. Physocaulon is subdivided into 2 subsections, each with 2 aggregates. The analysis of the geographical pattern of species richness revealed two areas of exceptionally high Iris species richness: Tian-Shan (14 species) and Hissar Mts. (21 species). A morphological description, sample photograph, geographical distribution, ecological data, point distribution maps, list of specimens and photographs examined, synonymy and nomenclatural type are provided for each species. A new identification key is compiled, based on morphology and phylogenetic relationships. Iris alberti Regel is reported for the first time from Uzbekistan. Four new combinations, Iris sect. Sclerosiphon (Nevski) Sennikov & F.O.Khass., I. subsect. Drepanophyllae (Rodion.) Sennikov, I. subsect. Rosenbachianae (Rodion.) Sennikov and I. parvula (Vved.) Sennikov, are established. The name I. kopetdagensis Vved. is validated with a type and description in English. Iris suworowii Regel is restored as the priority name for I. lineata Foster. Iris popovii Vved. is treated as a synonym of I. baldshuanica O.Fedtsch. & B.Fedtsch., I. pskemensis Rukšāns as a synonym of I. kolpakowskiana Regel, I. hoogiana Dykes as a synonym of I. darwasica Regel, and Iridodictyum kopetdaghense Kurbanov is reduced to a synonym of Iris reticulata M.Bieb. Iris almaatensis Pavlov is removed from synonyms of I. subdecolorata Vved. and considered a yellow form of I. kuschakewiczii B.Fedtsch. The nomenclature of I. sect. Regelia (Foster) Foster, I. parvula (Vved.) Sennikov and I. sogdiana Bunge is corrected. The names I. sect. Regelia (Foster) Foster, I. alberti Regel, I. bloudowii Ledeb., I. halophila Pall., I. hoogiana Dykes, I. lineata Foster, I. regelii Maxim. ex Regel, I. scariosa Willd. ex Link, I. sogdiana Bunge, I. stolonifera Maxim., I. suworowii Regel, I. tenuifolia Pall., I. tenuifolia var. thianschanica Maxim. ex Regel and I. vaga Foster are lectotypified, whereas I. suworowii is also epitypified.

New Approach to the Systematics of the Section Psammiris (Iris, Iridaceae): What Does Chloroplast DNA Sequence Tell Us?

“…Psammiris [ 9 ]. Since then, this approach has been accepted [ 11 , 12 , 14 , 15 , 71 , 113 ]. However, I. subgen.…”

“…Irid. : 29, 1892.—Lectotype (designated by Sennikov et al [ 113 ] (p. 31)): [Kazakhstan, East Kazakhstan Region] ad Grammahuham [Gromotukha River], [fl. ], 4 May 1826, [ Ledebour ] 95 , Herb.…”

Revised checklist of endemic vascular plants of Kazakhstan

“…To verify endemic taxa distributions, we employed systematic reports detailing the flora of Kazakhstan and its neighbouring regions ( Baitenov 1977 ; German and Chen 2009 ; Kljuykov et al 2018 ; Smirnov et al 2018 ; Nobis et al 2020 ; Pimenov 2020 ; German and Veselova 2022 ; Sennikov et al 2023 ). Additionally, we conducted a thorough examination of specimens housed in various herbaria, including LE, MW, TK, TASH, MHA, SVER, KUZ, ALTB, NS, NSK and MOSP (herbarium acronyms according to Thiers (2023) ), as well as the data sourced from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility ( GBIF 2023 ), the International Legume Database and Information Service (ILDIS) ( Roskov et al 2009 ), BrassiBase: Introdcution to a novel database on Brassicaceae evolution.…”

Complete plastid genome of Iris orchioides and comparative analysis with 19 Iris plastomes

“…The voucher specimen was prepared and deposited at the Herbarium of the Korea National Arboretum (KH) under accession number KHB1544459. We identified the species according to the key morphological characters described by Sennikov et al [38]. The collected leaf samples were quickly dried with silica gel in a zip-lock plastic bag and stored at room temperature until further use.…”

“…Genome-scale markers provide good insight into phylogenetic relationships, as observed in many plastome phylogenies [37]. In this study, we aimed to 1) determine the complete structure of the plastome of Iris orchioides (endemic to Central Asia [38]), 2) characterize the architecture and molecular evolution of Iris plastomes via comparative analysis with known Iris plastomes, and 3) identify appropriate plastid markers for distinguishing the phylogenetic relationships among Iris taxa.…”