The Iranian Journal of Botany
Volume:29 Issue: 2, Autumn and Winter 2023

Ferula L., as a large genus in the Umbelliferae with 180-185 species, is distributed only in the Old World. There are 25 mostly medicinal species within the Ferula sect. Merwia, of which 14 species are distributed in Iran. A molecular phylogenetic study of the Iranian species using two nrDNA (ITS and ETS) and two cpDNA (rpL32―trnL(UAG) and rps16― trnK(UUU)) markers was undertaken to determine the phylogenetic relationships among species and evaluate their potential value in taxonomic treatment of the genus. The Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inferences trees revealed that the section contained three geographically separated subclades. Also, F. assa-foetida has appeared as two geographic ecotypes in Iran; one group contains the populations distributed in lower altitudes in the Centre of Iran and the other includes the populations from higher altitudes in Zagros Mt. in the south of Iran. Ferula alliacea is placed close to the eastern elements of the sect. Merwia. Similarly, the position of F. lutensis as well as F. latisecta is confirmed within the section. The used cpDNA regions could not define the boundaries of infraspecific taxa of Ferula species such as F. assa-foetida within the sect. Merwia, while they contributed to separating different species of other sections of the genus and also allied genera (Leutea). Accordingly, the most informative region was the ETS nrDNA which may contain more nucleotide substitution. In our analyses, Leutea turcomanica is located close to the other Leutea species.

Potamogeton and Stuckenia comprise 90 and 7 respectively accepted species worldwide. Because of a wide range of intraspecific morphological variability including extensive phenotypic plasticity and ecological diversity, Potamogeton and Stuckenia are considered notoriously difficult taxa. A total of 100 accessions representing 11 taxa of Potamogeton and three of Stuckenia were collected across Iran. An initial screening based on allele lengths of highly variable cpDNA sequences allowed considering 59 different accessions of one to eight individuals of each species for further morphological, anatomical, and molecular analyses. NrDNA ITS and three plastid regions (rbcL, matK, and trnH-psbA) were employed to reconstruct molecular phylogenies using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inferences. Analyses of nrDNA ITS sequences generated well-resolved tree topology than plastid data. There was some incongruence between nuclear data and concatenated chloroplast marker data (P=0.001). Additional testing of ISSR and SRAP markers for 48 specimens showed higher resolution in species delimitation among linear leaved taxa, though not conclusive. Anatomical features could not separate Iranian species alone and should be used in combination with morphological characters that were highly informative. The results showed that Iranian Potamogeton species contain a rich gene pool due to the specific and diverse geographical conditions of Iran.

The genus Ceratocephala with about 14 species in the world, has two species in Iran, including C. falcata and C. testiculata which are widely distributed in different parts of the country. Ceratocephala falcata has variations in fruit shapes. Some botanists have considered several subspecies and varieties for this species. In this research, traditional morphometric and geometric morphometric methods have been used to determine the taxonomic position of these taxa. Traditional morphometric studies based on nineteen quantitative characters (including leaf and fruit traits) of 78 populations were performed using SPSS software with the Ward method. Geometric morphometry based on fruit traits was performed in 22 specimens using tps Dig 2.12 and morpho J software. Traditional morphometry was not successful in distinguishing varieties, but different varieties including C. falcata var. falcata and var. excapus were identified using geometric morphometric methods.

Pollen morphology of eight genera and 11 species belonging to the tribe Heliantheae -Asteraceae viz., Blainvillea Cass., Eclipta L., Helianthus L., Parthenium L., Sphagneticola O. Hoffm., Verbesina Cav., Xanthium L. and Zinnia L. have been examined under the Light Microscope (LM) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Pollen grains are generally radially symmetrical, isopolar, mostly prolate-spheroidal to prolate rarely oblate-spheroidal or spheroidal. Tectum is usually echinate except in Xanthium and Parthenium which have micro echinate (spinulose) tectum. However, significant variation in qualitative and quantitative pollen morphological characters has been observed in pollen shape, polar length and diameter of equatorial axis (13-25 µm), exine thickness 1.31-3 µm and exine ornamentation micro echinate-echinate, spine length >1 to 4 µm, and tectum in between spines such as, punctate, to sub-psilate, rarely rugulate or granulate. Based on the exine ornamentation and cluster analysis two distinct pollen types are recognized viz., Pollen type-I Helianthus type (based on echinate), and pollen type-II Xanthium type (Micro echinate). The results of this study have shown that palynological characters are significantly helpful at specific levels.

The genus Prangos Lindl. belongs to the Apiaceae (Umbelliferae), subfamily Apioideae and tribe Apieae. This genus with about 45 species is one of the biggest genera of the family. Prangos includes 15 species in Iran, of which seven are endemics. In this study, the fruit anatomy of all species of the genus Prangos in Iran has been investigated comparatively based on the transverse sections of the mericarp. As a result, we could identify and group the species of this genus based on the anatomical features (similarities and differences among species) of the fruit. The species have been divided into four groups based on anatomical characteristics such as the mericarp structure, vallecular vittae, vascular bundle, and rib secretory ducts. Group I corresponds with two subgenera Koelzella (P. pabularia), and Prangos (sections Latilobae and Ulopterae), group II with subgenus Prangos sections Meliocarpoides and Prangos, group III subgenus Prangos with the remainder species of the section Prangos, and group IV with subgenus Prangos section Alococarpum. Anatomical studies also confirmed the morphological and anatomical differences among sections Alococarpum, Latilobae, Ulopterae, and other members of the genus. Furthermore, the anatomical features confirm the transformation of P. eriantha from Alococarpum to Prangos. In addition, based on fruit morphological and anatomical characteristics, a key for the identification of Prangos species has been provided.

Psephellus erivanensis Lipsky (Asteraceae) is a threatened knapweed species of the Armenian flora, endemic to the Atropatene floristic sub-province of the Armeno-Iranian floristic province. According to the results of the conducted study, P. erivanensis is identified as a polycarpic rhizomatous hemicryptophyte with perennial rosettes and annual leafy elongated generative shoots. The diploid cytotype has been found for the species to be 2n=32, the karyotype is symmetric, consisting of 2 pairs of submetacentric and 14 pairs of metacentric chromosomes, 0.77-1.54 µm in size. The average pollen fertility of P. erivanensis is quite high and is in the range of 93-99%, which indicates a high seed set, contributing to the species' reproduction. Plants introduced in the Yerevan Botanical Garden have a full development cycle, mature seed formation, and vegetative self-renewal ability, in comparison with natural ones, are distinguished by higher total humidity, intensity of transpiration and photosynthesis, and a decrease in water deficit. The species is recommended for ex-situ conservation through living plant collection creation and, considering its ornamental value, for utilization in arid landscaping schemes. The article is illustrated with a map of the species distribution in Armenia, original photographs, and tables.

Eight plant species belonging to Asteraceae, Fabaceae, and Lamiaceae were collected from Kermanshah province. The chromosome counts of Cousinia kermanshahensis Attar, Ghahr., & Assadi (2n=24), Hedysarum al-shehbazii Ranjbar (2n=16), Onobrychis lunata Boiss. (2n=14), Salvia sclareopsis Bornm. ex Hedge (2n=20) and Phlomis anisodonta Boiss. subsp. anisodonta (2n=20) are reported for the first time, and the chromosome counts of Anagyris foetida L. (2n=18), Chesneya rytidosperma Jaub. & Spach (2n=16) and Thymbra spicata L. (2n=28) are reported for the first time for the flora of Iran.

The chromosome number of Ferula stenocarpa (2n=22) and Ducrosia flabellifolia (2n=22) belonging to Apiaceae, Rindera lanata (2n=48) from Boraginaceae, and Ziziphus spina-christi (2n=24), Z. nummularia (2n=24) of Rhamnaceae and also a hybrid between them (Z. nummularia × Z. spina-christi 2n=24) from the Sahara Sindian Region (southern Iran) are reported. The chromosome numbers of Ferula stenocarpa and Rindera lanata are reported here for the first time and Ducrosia flabellifolia, Z. nummularia, Z. spina-christi, and Z. nummularia × Z. spina-christi are reported for the first time from the Iranian population.

This study represents chromosomal data for seven species of five genera of Apiaceae, Cistaceae, Lamiaceae families. The chromosome numbers for three taxa including, Oliveria decumbens 2n=18, Acinus graveolens 2n=18, and Gonscharovia popovii 2n=30 are reported here for the first time and the chromosome number of Helianthemum aegyptiacum 2n=40, Helianthemum ledifolium 2n=40, Helianthemum salicifolium 2n=40 and Lagoecia cuminoides 2n=16 are reported for the first time in the flora of Iran. Karyotypic analyses of all species are presented.

Cyanobacteria are anaerobic and photosynthesizing prokaryotes. In the past, the classification of cyanobacteria was only based on morphological characteristics. Today, advanced techniques such as molecular markers are used to achieve more accurate and reliable classification. In this research, sampling was done from the Ziarat waterfall in Golestan province. After cultivation and purification in solid culture medium BG-11, molecular identification of natural compounds’ biosynthesizing genes (hassallidins synthetase (hasN) and geosmin A (geoA) along with divergence analyses were performed using the amplification of the chloroplast genes RNA polymerase C1 (rpoC1).Then, the strain containing the above genes was identified by amplification of 16S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) genes. Phylogenetic trees were built using the Maximum Likelihood method and the appropriate model with the help of a web server on the IQ-Tree server. The secondary structure of ITS was drawn in different parts of helix D1-D1′, D2, D3, tRNAIle, tRNAAla, BOX B, BOX A, and V3 using the Mfold program. The results showed that only the Nodosilinea sp. 1359 (Leptolyngbyaceae, Synechococcales) strain has the genes mentioned above. In addition, the results of calculating the KA/KS of hasN and geoA genes and the phylogenetic incongruence of 16S rRNA and rpoC1 genes showed that natural selection by creating positive mutations has led to diversity in the studied strain. This study is among the first research conducted on the molecular phylogeny of cyanobacteria producing natural compounds in Ziarat waterfall.