t. nejadsattari

Wheat is the most important crop that is the main source of food for 40 percent of the world's population. This crop has a high adaptability and cultivated in a wide area of the world. The importance of wheat is due to the special properties in water absorption and elasticity of its dough. It is due to the presence of gluten protein in seeds endosperm. The variation of glutenins in wheat and its seven close relatives were investigated using four specific primers of glutenins. Sequences of replicated DNA were compared with the NCBI database data, and sequences which were more than 90% similar to a LMW-Gs or HMW-Gs of wheat were used to investigate. The results showed a high similarity between glutenins genes in wheat and other related species. However, it was observed that in many cases, similar fragments were differed in different species and there is a variation for the sequence of nucleotides among these species. Investigation of phylogenetic relationships among species showed that T. aestivum, and T. boeoticum species, which are similar in genome A, as well as Ae. tauschii, the parent of the wheat genome D, is very similar in terms of the structure of gluten genes and they located in similar clusters in phylogenetic trees. Although Ae. juvenalis and Ae. vavilovi do not show more similarity to each other, they both have a great similarity to their parent species Ae. crassa, and usually grouped together in the same cluster. The wide diversity for these proteins, among the wheat relatives, as well as the close phylogenetic relationships and the convergence of these species with wheat, makes it possible to use this great genetic diversity in wheat breeding programs

The genus Quercus L. (Fagaceae) is one of the most diversified groups of temperate trees with more than 500 species distributed worldwide. Quercus section Quercus, the white oaks, has the greatest number of species and has the widest distribution occurring in Asia, Europe, North Africa, and North and Central America. Oak species with lobed leaves in the Zagros forests belong to the sect. Quercus. In previous regional taxonomic accounts, Djavanchir and Menitsky identified six and two taxa of sect. Quercus in Zagros forests, respectively. We studied a great number of specimens of white oaks from the Zagros forests and assigned them to previously described taxa. Then we compared them to digital images of type specimens provided by the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and National Botanic Garden of Belgium. Twenty-three qualitative and quantitative characters of leaves and acorns were examined. Cluster Analysis (CA) of data showed that morphology of leaves, micro-morphology of foliar trichomes in combination with acorn morphology are valuable in species distinction. In addition, our results showed that foliar trichomes have little value in separation of taxa at species level, whereas leaf shape proved to be a better tool for discrimination of species. According to the observations and our findings, the following taxa of white oaks with lobate leaves exist in the Zagros forests: Quercus robur L. subsp. pedunculiflora (K. Koch) Menitsky, Q. robur L. subsp. robur, Q. petraea subsp. pinnatiloba (K. Koch) Menitsky and Q. infectoria subsp. veneris (A. Kern.) Meikle. Q. robur L. subsp. robur and Q. petraea subsp. pinnatiloba (K. Koch) Menitsky are reported as new records for the flora of Iran.

Cerastium brachypetalum Pers. subsp. iranicum (Caryophyllaceae) is described as a new subspecies from West Iran. It belongs to the subgenus Cerastium section Orthodon. Morphological characteristics, as well as a full description and distribution of the new taxon are provided. This taxon is compared with the other subspecies of Cerastium brachypetalum and with its close relative species. Ultrastructure of seed and pollen was examined by SEM

In this study, seed micro-morphology of eight species of Stellaria and two of its closest relatives were examined by scanning electron microscope. High variation was found in seed coat micromorphology and four distinc cell patterns were observed. Shape of testa cells is defined as elongated polygonal, broad polygonal, interlaced polygonal and irregular polygonal. The variation in ornamentation of testa cells as well as their size and shape may provide useful diagnostic characters for separating taxa at the generic and specific level. Seeds of the Myosoton aquaticum are reniform with rounded polygonal cells that are convex on the surface, having papillae on outer periclinal walls and V-shape anticlinal walls. This cell pattern is very similar to Stellaria media and S. pallida. Seeds shape of Mesostemma are cubical-spherical and the surface of seeds are arranged in irregular polygonal cell, irregular zip-shape margin and corrugated in periclinal wall. These are very different with exomorphology of the seeds of the Stellaria species. Seed micro-morphological data suggest that Myosoton aquaticum belongs to Stellaria and is better to be included as a synonym of it, but this data provides some support at least for the separation of Mesostemma kotschyanum from Stellaria.

Achene micro-morphology of 17 species of Taraxacum (Asteraceae) is investigated using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). In this study 12 qualitative and quantitative characters such as achene length, width and colour, ornamentation type and size, length of beak, length and colour of pappus were examined. Cluster Analysis (CA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of data showed that micromorphology of achene has significant role in separating species from each other and it does support the delimitation at sectional level. Our results showed that ornamentation on achene body cannot be used in separation of taxa at species level as well as sectional rank, whereas ornamentation size showed to be a better tool for separation of species. Since fruit micromorphology provides some evidences for delimitation of species and sections, the results then were compared with the phylogenetic trees obtained from Maximum Parsimony (MP) and the Bayesian analysis (BA) of the nrDNA ITS region. Our results showed that current taxonomic system of the genus Taraxacum is not compatible with its phylogeny.

Astragalus remotiflorus Boiss. from section Anthylloidei DC. has three subspecies, that are endemic to Iran. A. remotiflorus subsp. nigrohirsutus is an endemic species in Fars province and is found on the mountain of Kharman kuh, 1760–3122 m. In this study cytological and morphological study were performed for this subspecies and A. remotiflorus subsp. remotiflorus, Also, the morphological characteristics of A. remotiflorus subsp. melanogramma were examined. The results indicate that A. remotiflorus subsp. nigrohirsutus is a hexaploid (2n=6x =48) with the karyotype formula of 15m+9sm. Symmetrical karyotype of this subspecies is in the class 2A. Morphological characteristics indicate that this subspecies with a small amount of mixed black hairs ca. 1 – 2.5 mm long on the peduncle and calyx distinguishes it from the other two subspecies. Also, it differs from subsp. melanogramma in having longer peduncle and lax inflorescence. A. remotiflorus subsp. nigrohirsutus is raised to the rank of species as A. nigrohirsutus.

Ornithogalum khuzestanicum (Hyacinthaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species from the subalpine areas in Khuzestan province, Iran. The new species is similar to O. brachystachys C. Koch and O. arcuatum Stev. in leaf shape, bulb shape and inflorescence shape, but differs by its stem length, margin of leaf, inflorescence length, bracts length, pedicels and ornamentation form on testa cell of seed and also pollen characters are different. The new species is currently known only from eastern Khuzestan, near the border of western Charmahale-Bakhtiari and Kohgiluye va -Boierahmad.

A progressive revision of the Iranian material belonging to Minuartia L. (Caryophyllaceae) led to the recognition of a new species Minuartia sabalanica based on the material from NW Iran. The new species is morphologically related to M. rimarum, an endemic only known from the central and southern Turkey, and M. umbellulifera known from Turkey and Iran. Diagnostic characters of the new species are discussed. In addition, a Latin diagnosis, description and illustration of the new species are given.

Pollen morphology of four taxa of the genus Carpinus growing in Iran was examined, using light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The main aim of this study is to determine the pollen morphology of this genus in Iran and finding the pollen characteristics. The pollen grains are triporate, tetraporate and pentaporate and more or less subprolate. The shape of pores are more or less circular, the surface sculpture of exine is irregularly cone-shaped and the apex is pointed. C. orientalis Miller subsp. macrocarpa (Willk.) Browicz and C. betulus var. parva have the largest and smallest pollen size (mean = 35.18 ± 3.96 µm) and (mean = 24.95 ± 0.18 µm), respectively.

Astragalus gamishluensis (Fabaceae) is described from Iran. It belongs to Astragalus sect. Ammodenderon due to its medifixed hairs, suffruticose habit and few pairs of leaflets. It resembles A. podoloboides, A. erwinii-gaubae and A. podolobus, from which it differs mainly in color of corolla, leaflets indumentums, length of stipe and indumentums of it and pod indumentums.

The development of the megagametophyte, embryo and the endosperm in Astragalus eriocarpus (sect. Malacothrix), A. glaucacanthus (sect. Poterion), A. remotijugus (sect. Caprini), A. chrysostachys (sect. Hymenostegis) and A. compactus (sect. Rhacophorus) were examined. The ovule are campylotropous, bitegmic and crassinucellate; integuments form a zig-zag shaped microphyle. The embryogenesis was similar in the species. Megagametophyte development follows the monosporic Polygonum type and the embryo development follows the Onagrad type. The fusion of the polar nuclei, development of the endosperm, digestion of the nucellus, seed abortion and suspensor development show major differences among studied species. Furthermore, the size and shape of the suspensor is quite variable among the five species. These characters are compared with the other species of Astragalus and also their phylogenetic significance is discussed. Also we describe a case of polyembryony for the first time in A. remotijugus.

Stylar features of 35 taxa including Lathyrus (26 species), Pisum (3 species), Vicia (4 species) and Lens (2 species) were examined using electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that four genera Lathyrus, Lens, Pisum and Vicia are different in terms of stylar features. At least eight stylar types can be recognized in the tribe Fabeae. Lathyrus is the most variable genus in this regard showing four different stylar types: (1) straight, linear and evenly hairy styles (Sle-type), (2) straight, spathulate and evenly hairy styles (Sse-type), (3) contorted, linear and evenly hairy styles (Cle-type) and (4) contorted, spathulate and evenly hairy styles (Cse-type). Furthermore, the styles are dorsiventrally compressed and adaxially evenly hairy in this genus. Two stylar types: (5) dorsiventrally compressed and evenly hairy all round (De-type) and (6) dorsiventrally compressed and abaxially tufted (Dabt-type) were recognized in Vicia. Other two types: (7) cylinder, non-compressed and adaxially evenly hairy style (Cne-type) and (8) longitudinally folded, canaliculated, laterally compressed and adaxially evenly hairy style (Fce-type) were recognized in Lens and Pisum, respectively. Special focus on Lathyrus revealed that stylar features do not corroborate the current sectional classification of the genus. None of the recognized stylar types are characteristic for any recognized sections of Lathyrus.

A new species, i.e. Hedysarum marandense (Fabaceae) is described, and a new record, i.e. Anemone narcissiflora L. subsp. willdenowii (Boiss.) Davis. (Ranunculaceae) is recorded for the first time in Iran from an area near the Marand city, prov. Azerbaijan Sharqi. Morphological peculiarities of Hedysarum marandense are mentioned and an illustration for this new species is given.

Puccinellia dolicholepis collected from NW. of Iran is reported as a new record from Iran and Flora Iranica area. It is also compared with its closest relative spesies P. bulbosa in Iran.

A preliminary checklist of 56 species of lichenized fungi from Zanjan province, Iran, is presented. Caloplaca agardhiana, Lepraria alpina, Lepraria nivalis and Staurothele areolata are new entries to the mycota of Iran and 52 species are new records for the province. A second locality is discovered for the rare endemic species of Aspicilia persica.

Poa damavandica Assadi & Kavousi is described as a new species from Iran based on a specimen has been collected from high altitudes of Damavand Mountain. It belongs to the section Stenopoa subsection Stenopoa. The new species is compared with Poa araratica, P. sterilis, P. stepposa and P. rangkulensis as close affinities. Moreover, Poa glauca is reported as a new record from Iran collected from Mazandaran province.