Scrophularia nana Stiefelh., Bot. Jahrb. Syst.

Ranjbar, Massoud, Rahchamani, Narges & Gautier, Laurent, 2016, Scrophularia longiflora Benth. and S. nana Stiefelh. (Scrophulariaceae), two distinct species from Iran, confused under the name S. farinosa Boiss., Candollea 71 (2), pp. 195-203 : 201-202

Scrophularia nana Stiefelh., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 44: 479. 1910. ( Fig. 4A, B )

Lectoypus (designated here): IRAN. Prov. Fars: around Persepolis and Kotel Parrou, Haussknecht s.n. ( JE [ JE00010886 ] image seen; probable isolecto-: G [ G00330575 ]!, W [ W0017409 ] image seen ).

Perennial herb, 3-15 cm tall, erect, stems short, thin, branched, with long internodes below and shorter above, grey, with a white dense indumentum of farinaceous hairs. Lower leaves opposite, grey, densely farinaceous on both surfaces, petioles 5-12 mm long, blade broadly ovate to rhombic to deltoid, 15-20 × 10-17 mm, venation pinnate versus palmate, serrate to dentate, with ca. 6-8 teeth each side; 1-3 mm long, angle of teeth with reference to the midrib ca. 40º, obtuse, apical side of teeth convex and straight, basal side concave. Upper leaves opposite to rarely alternate, grey, with densely farinaceous hairs on both surfaces, petiole 5-8 mm long, blade broadly ovate to rhombic, obtuse, 18-20 × 10-14 mm, venation pinnate, serrate to dentate, with ca. 5-7 teeth each side; 0.5-2 mm long, angle of teeth with reference to the midrib ca. 30º-40º, obtuse, apical side of teeth convex to straight, basal side concave. Inflorescence 4-5 cm long, dense, many-flowered, bracteate, paniculate, cymes drepanium. Bracts lanceolate, entire, acute, 10-15 × 2-5 mm, grey, with a dense indumentum of farinaceous hairs, the lower ones with a few teeth. Bracteoles lanceolate, entire, acute, 2-3 × 0.5 mm, grey, with a dense indumentum of farinaceous hairs. Peduncle 5-10 mm long, densely glandular mixed with sparsely farinaceous hairs. Pedicel 1-1.5 mm long, with densely glandular hairs. Flowers zygomorphic. Calyx 3-4 × 2.5-3 mm, sepals equal, ovate-elliptic, obtuse, grey, with white often glabrous margins, densely covered with glandular hairs. Corolla 5-7 mm long, ventricose, purple when fresh, red to brown in dried status, glabrous, lobes unequal, obtuse, upper lobes 0.5 mm longer than lower lobes. Stamens 4, fertile, included, 5-7 mm long, filaments white, loosely gland-dotted, anthers white. Staminode small, reniform, ca. 0.5 × 1 mm, red, its filament as long as the ones of the fertile anthers. Ovary spherical, ca. 1.5 × 2 mm, loosely gland-dotted. Style terminal, filiform, 4-5 mm long, glabrous. Capsule spherical to ovoid, ca. 3 × 3.5 mm, mucronate, mucrone 0.5 mm long, green, loosely glanddotted. Seed elliptic, to 1 mm, brown.

[A: Ranjbar 26927, BASU; B: Haussknecht s.n., JE]

Note. – The protologue of S. nana provides the following indications: “Verbr.: Südwestliches Persien: Kalkfelsen bei Persepolis und Kotel Parrou, 5000’ (leg. Hausskn. April 1868 sub S. farinosa Boiss. )”. However , there is no mention of the herbarium of deposition of the type and lectotypification is needed. Among herbaria where corresponding material has been traced, herbarium JE, where the Haussknecht herbarium is now incorporated, has two specimens by Haussknecht that were recently databased as syntypes. Both have an identification label by Stiefelhagen as “ Scrophularia nana Stiefelhagen nov. spec.; det. Heinz Stiefelhagen. 1909”. However, only one of them [JE00010886] has a locality (“In rup. calc. ca. Persepolis et Kotel Parrou; 5000”) that matches the protologue. Consequently, this specimen has been selected as lectotype. The second specimen, [JE00010885], with locality “In rup. calc. ca. Persepolis et Kotel Kumaredj”, is not cited in the diagnosis and despite its label by Stiefelhagen, it should not be considered as type material. Duplicates of these collections in other herbaria have either a locality with elements of these two collections [G00330575] or a locality which is too vague to be attributed to one of these collections [W0017409]. Both should be considered as probable isolectotypes.

In the diagnosis of this species a wide variation of leaf shape is mentioned. Among all observed specimens, margin leaf is irregular crenate, serrate to dentate or incised, but never pinnatipartite. This character is very important and a distinguishing trait between S. nana and S. longiflora . Another point is that the fruit of this species was not described. Based on examined specimens and digital images, we provide above a description of capsules and seeds.

Other specimen examined. – IRAN. Prov. Fars: Marvdasht, Naqshi Rostam , 29°59’19’’N 52°52’29’’E, 1644 m, 19.III.2011, Ranjbar 26927 ( BASU); Takht-e Jamshid [Persepolis] and Kotel Kumaredj, 1525 m, IV.1868, Haussknecht s.n. ( JE [ JE00010885 ]); between Takht-e Jamshid [Persepolis] to Daulatabad [Dolat Abad], 1000-2000 m, 2.V.1956, Schmid 5471 ( G [ G00382551 ]); Bamu protected region, Darreh Chap, 1650-1900 m, 30.V.1975, Wendelbo & Foroughi 17531 ( G [ G00382552 in part]) .

Figures

Fig. 4. - Scrophularia nana Stiefelh. A. Details of Ranjbar 26927 collection at BASU: overview of plant, close-up of leaf, and fruit; B. Lectotype.