Lavandula sublepidota Rech.f., Pl. Syst. Evol.

Bordbar, Firouzeh & Upson, Tim M., 2021, TAXONOMIC REVIEW AND PHYLOGENETIC INVESTIGATIONS OF LAVANDULA FROM IRAN AND OMAN, Edinburgh Journal of Botany 78 (347), pp. 1-16 : 9-11

Lavandula sublepidota Rech.f., Pl. Syst. Evol. 133: 105 (1979). –

Type: Iran, south, Prov.

Fars: Gardaneh-e Bezan , 15 km NW Furk village, 1000–1400 m, 28 v 1973, (holotype PR [photo!], isotype PR).

Figure 6 .

Woody-based perennial, aromatic, up to 80 cm tall, the whole plant covered with a fine, dense and adpressed indumentum of star-like hairs. Stems erect, branched, particularly at the base with long internodes 10–15(–20) cm, often leafless for part of the year. Leaves rhomboid-lanceolate in outline, 10–30 × 15–20 mm, pinnatifid with rounded lobes, margin revolute, cuneate at base, petiole 4–7 mm long. Spike 10–15 cm long, the axis extending in fruiting time to 20–25 mm, cymes spirally arranged. Bract about half the length of calyx, 3.5–4 × 2–2.5 mm, ovate and scarious with long acuminate apex, 1–1.5 mm. Calyx 5–5.5 mm, lobes triangular, 1–1.5 mm, subequal. Corolla about twice the length of calyx, pale violet, lobes short, rounded. Nutlets brown, elliptic-oblong, slightly mucilaginous, 1.5–1.8 × 0.8–1 mm, scar one-third the length.

Phenology. Flowers and fruits from May to June.

Distribution. Iran (Provinces of Fars and Hormozgan). A narrow endemic known only from the Zagros Mountains, first found around Darab, Rostaq and Bezan passes ( Rechinger, 1979) and later in Hormozgan Province, Haji Abad, Shamil-e Bala, Bukhun, by Mozaffarian ( Jamzad, 2012).

Habitat and ecology. This species occurs on rocky limestone slopes with shallow soil on arid mountains (see Figure 6A,B ). The areas of distribution in Darab (Fars) and Bukhun (Hormozgan) are the transitional area between the Irano-Turanian and Saharo-Arabian floristic regions ( Zohary, 1973). It typically bears leaves around its base in spring (see Figure 6A ), these subsequently dropping due to drought. Therefore it can appear leafless for parts of the year (see Figure 6B ).

Conservation status. According the AOO of 48 km 2 and EOO of 267 km 2, Lavandula sublepidota is categorised as Endangered (EN) [B1ac(ii+iii+iv) + B2ac(ii+iii+iv) + D] ( IUCN, 2012). During recent exploration of the area, only a single individual was recorded at the type locality (see Figure 4 ).

Ethnobotany. No uses recorded.

Specimens examined. IRAN. South, Fars Province: Darab, Rostaq, Bezan pass, 28°22′30.35′′N, 55°10′00.44′′E, 1238 m, 4 iv 2018, Bordbar 2912 ( MIR) ; ibid., 1 v 2018, Mirtadzadini 2913 ( MIR) ; ibid., 8 vi 2018, Bordbar 2914 ( MIR) .

This previously poorly known species was described by Rechinger (1979) during work on Flora Iranica and based on specimens collected in the Zagros Mountains in the Province of Fars, south Iran. The scale-like adpressed stem hairs, reflected in the epithet, are unique and give the species its characteristic whitish appearance.

Rechinger (1979) originally placed the species in sect. Pterostoechas and noted affinities to Lavandula coronopifolia (treated as L. stricta ). Although it bears single-flowered cymes, these are spirally arranged in Lavandula sublepidota rather than decussate, as is diagnostic for sect. Pterostoechas . Its sectional affinities therefore lie elsewhere and are discussed further below.

Figures

Figure 4. Distribution of Lavandula in Iran: L. coronopifolia (circles), L. pubescens (diamond) and L. sublepidota (triangle).

Figure 6. Lavandula sublepidota. A, Vegetative habit; B, fruiting; C, leaves; D, flowering inflorescence. Photographs by F. Bordbar.