The Iranian Journal of Botany
Volume:20 Issue: 2, Summer and Autumn 2014

The generic placement of Cochlearia conwayi is discussed and the species is transferred to the genus Pseudocamelina. The new combination P. conwayi is proposed. The generic assignments of Cochlearia species described from central، southern، and southwestern Asia are discussed and it is concluded that the genus does not grow in Asia except for the extreme northern part.

Saponaria species are very similar morphologically so that their taxonomy has been challenging subject for a long time. In order to clarify the taxonomy of the genus، materials deposited in the herbaria (TARI، IRAN and FUMH) of Iran were examined. The Micromorphological characters of the seed and pollen grains were studied and evaluated as possible taxonomic characteristics of the genus. Among the studied specimens a new species (Saponaria iranica) to the science was identified which will be described here. This new species has been collected from Kerman Province and is closely related to S. orientalis and S. viscosa. An identification key to the species of the genus Saponaria in Iran is presented.

Gypsophila heteropoda Freyn، is reported as a new record for the flora of Iran from Khorassan Province in NE Iran. This species is compared morphologically with the closest species and its distribution map in Iran is presented.

The Iranian materials of the genus Vicia were reviewed. A critical study of 500 specimens collected for this study and additional herbarium specimens led to reporting a new subspecies، V. villosa Roth. subsp. dasycarpa (Ten.) Cav. from Iran. In addition، recollection and identification of two species، V. mollis and V. lathyroides which were not deposited in any of the Iranian herbaria before. According to the results of this study15 sections within the Iranian materials of Vicia were recognized. Also the following changes were applied: revival of two sections Crocea and Lenticula; transferring the members of sect. Cassubicae to sect. Vicilla; V. koeieana from sect. Anatropostyla to sect. Ervilia; V. hirsuta from sect. Ervum to sect. Ervilia; V. crocea from sect. Vicilla to sect. Crocea; recognition of the subgen. Cracca. Four new synonymes made: subgen. Vicilla as synonym of subgen. Cracca; sect. Cassubicae as synonym of sect. Vicilla; V. sojakii as synonym to V. ciceroideae; V. michauxii var. stenophylla as synonym to V. michauxii. Furthermore، V. lutea var. lutea is deleted from the flora of Iran and V. canescens is recognized as its sensu lato with no infra-specific taxa in. A taxonomic key to the Vicia taxais presented here.

Newly collected materials and the existing herbarium specimens belonging to the genus Luzula were studies. Luzula taurica (V. I. Krecz.) Novikov was identified and is reported as a new record for the flora of Iran. Furthermore a new distribution area for L. spicata subsp. italica is reported from Iran. Luzula taurica is similar to L. multiflora but style length and anther/filament length ratio are diagnostic. Morphological comparisons and geographical distribution are also presented، together with an identification key to the members of the genus Luzula in Iran.

The genus Thalictrum L. is reviewed based on literature، available herbarium materials and new collected specimens. On the basis of 29 quantitative and qualitative characters a cluster analysis was performed by ward distance of phenetic method for arranging taxa in distinct species groups. An identification key to 6 accepted taxa is provided by using PCA and phenetic analyses. A checklist of accepted species and synonyms including selected studied specimens is given.

During the project of collecting plants in Khuzestan province، the specimens of Mandragora autumnalis were collected from Shimbar protected area. It grows in two marginal locations of this wetland. Mandragora autumnalis is reported as a new record for the flora of Iran.

Rosa freitagii Ziel. is reported as a new species for the flora of Iran from South Khorassan province. This species is morphologically compared with its closely related species، Rosa moschata Herrm.، previously recorded for Iran. Illustrations، distribution map and notes on biogeography، conservation status and habitats of R. freitagii are provided. Furthermore، previous reports concerning the peresence of Rosa webbiana Wall. in Iran and R. boissieri Crép in Khorassan will be discussed.

Fraxinus L. is one of the 24 genera in Oleaceae family and comprises 43 species that are distributed in northern hemisphere. Two species: F. excelsior L. and F. angustifolia Vahl. are reported from Iran. These species are very similar on the basis of morphological characteristics which make their identification difficult. In order to overcome the ambiguity of these two species and their subspecific ranks، morphological and micromorphological traits of the species in 55 populations were studied. Forty nine qualitative and quantitative morphological characteristics were studied. Phenetic analysis was carried out using SPSS ver. 16 software and phenogram of the species considering morphological characters were plotted. Furthermore، PCA analysis was carried out and the most variable characters were determined. Factor analysis revealed the color of adaxial and abaxial surfaces of leaflets، color of winter buds، type of inflorescence، shape of fruit and its tip، and margin of leaflets are the most effective separating characters. According to descriptive analysis، three factors including the type of inflorescence، color of winter bud and shape of the margin serration of the leaflets are the most important ones. Micromorphological studies using scanning electron microscope، revealed two types of trichomes: acicular and capitate. Pollen grains in all specimens are monad and tricolpate. An identification key was prepared using morphological and micromorphological features.

TheKaryotype and meiotic studies are investigated in 17 populations of four Clypeola species growing in Iran for the first time. The species studied showed 2n=2x=14 for C. lappacea and C. dichotoma while C. aspera and C. jonthlaspi were tetraploids. For C. aspera 2n=4x=26 & 24 and for C. jonthlaspi 2n=4x=32 were counted، supporting the published reports on C. jonthlaspi، C. lappacea، C. dichotoma and C. aspera. The karyotypic study was performed for C. aspera and C. lappacea. The chromosomes in these species were mainly metacentric and sub-metacentric. Mixoploidy and polysomaty has been observed in C. aspera populations. Meiosis studies were performed on 6 populations of three species of Clypeola. Chromosome number of n=16 for C. jonthlaspi، n=12 & 13 for C. aspera and n=7& 8 for C. lappacea were observed. Disploidy was observed in C. aspera and C. lappacea. Desynapsis and B chromosome are present in C. lappacea. Unreduced pollen grains were observed in three species.

The morphology and micromorphology of flower and nutlet in 29 Iranian Onosma species were examinated comparatively using SEM method in order to evaluate and clarify their taxonomic values and specific emphasis was on their role in classification. Our study highlights the importance of the floral and nutlet characters in relation to identification of most of the studied species based on the PCoA and cluster analysis. Besides،Palynological، morphological and molecular studies confirmed our results. Although there are some taxa which cannot be determined solely using the mentioned characters، but these characters accompanied with other important characters are useful tools in distinguishing many taxa and solving some complexities in Onosma. Moreover if molecular evidence (chloroplast and nuclear sequences) confirm our results، the divergence of Onosma orientalis and Onosma rostellata from the genus Onosma is expexcted،then these taxa may be transferred to different genera. On the other hand، combinations of these characters along with morphological and molecular evidence provide a perfect view for taxonomy and comphrensive taxonomical revision of Onosma.

Chromosome numbers were determined for the first time for 2 native species of Iran. The samples were collected from natural habitats. Paronychia kurdica (2n=18) of Caryophyllaceae family and Salsola yazdiana(2n=18) of Chenopodiaceae family were examined in this study. Ideograms were depicted for each species. Both of them had metacentric chromosomes.

This study includes 4 reports of chromosome counts in Tripleurospermum Sch. Bip. belonging to the tribe Anthemideae of the family Asteraceae from Iran. Confirming the reported base number of x=9 for this genus، the species studied include diploid and tetraploid species. Chromosome counts for three species are reported for the first time from Iran.

During an examination of lichen specimens in the Research Institute of Forest and Rangelands Herbarium (TARI)، three new species of Teloschistaceae Zahlbr. were identified for the flora of Iran. These species have been collected from the Provinces Gilan، Alborz and Mazandaran and consist of Caloplaca irrubescens (Arnold) Zahlbr. Caloplaca monacensis (Leder.) Lettau andXanthoria calcicolaOxner.

Cyanophyta are the photosynthetic prokaryotes found in most of the ecological habitats. They are very diverse group in concept of morphology and physiology and have been an interesting group for investigation. In the present investigation thermophilic cyanophyta have been identified from three hot springs including Fariyab، Todlooye and Fotooye located in west of Hormozgan province. Sampling was based on temperature gradients. Water physicochemical characteristics analyzed because of their dramatic effects on species distribution. The collected samples from different collection sites and various temperature ranges were fixed in 4% formaldehyde to minimize quantitative and qualitative changes. Taxonomic determination was carried out using artificial keys presented in some valid publications. As a result of this study، a total of 66 species were identified including 56 species، 22 genera and 10 families from Fariyab hot spring; 29 species، 11 genera and 6 families from Fotooye hot spring and 12 species، 6 genera and 2 families from Todlooye hot spring.

Despite numerous studies، the genus Laurencia J. V. Lamouroux (Ceramiales، Rhodomelaceae) is still one of the most complex genera of Rhodophyta. In recent years some species of the genus have been transferred to other genera. However some species of this genus have only been introduced based on morphological characters from south of Iran، but modern molecular studies combined with morphological and anatomical studies can resolve most problems of this complicated groups of organisms. In this study Laurencia obtusa var. mollissima، L. obtusa var. compacta and L. dendroidea are reported for the first time from Bandar-Lengeh، Hengam and Qeshm Islands respectively in southern coastlines of Iran. Morpho-anatomical studies revealed the typical characteristics of the genus Laurencia، including four pericentral cells per each axial segment، presence of corpse en cerise per superficial cortical cell، parallel arrangement of tetrasporangia، presence of secondary pit connections and other specific features of this genus.

Heterocystous cyanobacteria represent an interesting group of photosynthetic prokaryotes which are capable of N2 fixation and are present abundantly in rice fields. The aim of this study was the identification and purification of cyanobacteria from rice fields in the Kalate Naderi، which is located in north-east of Khorasan Razavi Province. To approach this aim، four paddy fields were selected to investigate heterocyestous blue-green algae. In total، 30 taxa were identified. These species belong to genera such as Nostoc، Anabaena، Cylindrospermum and Calothrix. Among these genera، Nostoc was found to be dominant genus in all samples. Six species، including Anabaena fuellebornii Schmidle، Anabaena inaequalis Bornet & Flahault، Nostoc pruniforme C. Agardh ex Bornet & Flahault، Nostoc amplissimum Setchell، Nostoc piscinale Kützing ex Bornet & Flahault، and Calothrix fusca (Kützing) Bornet & Flahault were identified as new records for Iran.