Bufonia iranica, Ghahremaninejad & Ghadi & Assadi & Falatoury, 2019

Ghahremaninejad, Farrokh, Ghadi, Zahra Rostami, Assadi, Mostafa & Falatoury, Atiye Nejad, 2019, A new species of Bufonia L. (Caryophyllaceae) from the Kordestan province (Iran), Adansonia (3) 41 (13), pp. 177-182 : 181-182

Bufonia iranica

Z.Rostami, Assadi & F.Ghahrem., sp. nov. ( Figs 1 ; 2 )

Species nova affinis Bufoniae enervis Boiss. sed differt a pedicellis glabris (nec puberulis), sepalis late ovatis ad margines 0.5-1 mm late membranaceis (nec ovato-lanceolatis et minus quam 0.5 mm late membranaceis), 4-6 mm longis (nec 3-4 mm longis), petalis late ovatis, acutis, 5-5.5 mm longis (nec ovato-lanceolatis, obtusis, 2.5-3.5 mm longis), seminibus orbicularibus, 2 × 2 mm (nec late ellipticis, 2.5 × 1.5 mm).

TYPUS. — Iran. Kordestan province: Saghghez , between Sonnate and Divandarre, Kuh-e Ghaleh, between Bashmagh and Jafarabad, 2300 m, 14.VII.1991 , V. Mozaffarian 70066 (holo-, TARI!).

SEED MORPHOLOGY. — The seeds of B. iranica Z.Rostami, Assadi & F.Ghahrem. , sp. nov. are brown, orbicular with lateral hilum, and about 2 mm diameter. The surface has elongated testa cells on the wing and hilum of the seed ( Fig. 2 H-M). The periclinal wall of the testa cells is slightly convex. The anticlinal walls are Zip-shaped.

DISTRIBUTION. — This endemic species was collected from west of Iran, Kordestan province ( Fig. 3 ) . The locality of type specimen in label was erroneously mentioned as Azarbaiejan province , the other notes are accurate. It grows on dry rocky slopes of a mountainous area. ETYMOLOGY. — The specific epithet refers to the country of the type specimen, Iran .

DESCRIPTION

Perennial, woody at base. Stems numerous, 12-25 cm high, erect, rigid, glabrous puberulent, simple or with short branches parallel to the stem; internodes 35-40 mm long. Basal leaves connate and sheathing, lower leaves 8-10 mm long, upper leaves shorter, subulate, rigid, adhesive to stem, ciliolate on the margin. Bracts 3 mm long, ovate-oblong, acute, ciliolate on the margin. Inflorescence compact. Flowers crowded in few flowered (2-5 flowers) terminal or lateral cymes, subsessile or very shortly pedicellate. Pedicels very short, rigid, glabrous. The outer pair sepals 4-5 mm long, broadly ovate, acute, 5-nerved, with white 0.5-0.7 mm wide scarious margin, straw yellow or black red. The inner pair sepals 5-6 mm long, broadly ovate, acute, 5-nerved, middle nerve excurrent, with 1 mm broad white scarious margin, straw color, pale purple or pallid purpurine or reddish, glabrous. Petals 5-5.5 mm long, broadly ovate, acute. Stamens 8, 3.5 mm long. Ovary with 4 ovules. Capsule compressed, 3.5 mm long, semi-elliptic. Seeds brown, 2 × 2 mm, orbicular, laterally compressed, with few tubercles. In terms of exomorphology, the surface of the seed is constructed of regularly arranged elongate cells with zip-shaped margins.

REMARKS

The new species is close to Bufonia enervis but it differs with having glabrous pedicels; longer sepals (4-6 not 3-4 mm long), and wider sepals (>0.5 not 0.5 mm wide) broadly ovate in shape (not ovate-lanceolate); longer petals (5-5.5 not 2.5-3.5 mm long), broadly ovate in shape (not obovate), and acute at the top (not obtuse); and different seeds (2 × 2 not 2.5 × 1.5 mm; orbicular not broadly elliptical). The type specimen was determined as Arenaria cf. szowitsii Boiss. , but with having four sepals, four petals and bivalve compressed lenticular capsule, it definitely belongs to Bufonia .

Figures

FIG. 1. — Bufonia iranica Z.Rostami, Assadi & F.Ghahrem., sp. nov. From holotype: Mozaffarian 70066 (TARI).

FIG. 2. — A-E, Details of morphological characters of Bufonia iranica Z.Rostami,Assadi & F.Ghahrem.,sp. nov.(Mozaffarian 70066): A, calyx;B, upper part of sepal; C, mature ovary; D, mature open ovary; E, petal; F, G, Bufonia enervis Boiss. (Iranshahr & Termeh 12159-E): F, calyx; G, petal; H-M, B. iranica Z.Rostami, Assadi & F.Ghahrem, sp. nov.: H, seed; I, close view of the seed surface from median part of the seed at the position between hilum and abfunicular side; J, K, close views of the seed surface at the abfunicular side; L, close view of the seed surface from median part of the seed at the hilum; M, close view of anticlinal border between testa cells. Scale bars: A, D, E, 1.2 mm; B, 0.38 mm; C, 0.97 mm; F, 0.87 mm; G, 0. 82 mm; H, 1 mm; I-L, 100 µm; M, 10 µm.

FIG. 3. — Distribution of Bufonia iranica Z.Rostami, Assadi & F.Ghahrem., sp. nov. () and Bufonia enervis Boiss. ().