Feddes Repertorium 2013, 124, 46–49
DOI: 10.1002/fedr.201400003
RESEARCH PAPER
Astragalus hakkianus a new species of Astragalus (Fabaceae) from N.W. Iran Ali Bagheri1, Mohammad R. Rahiminejad1, Ali A. Maassoumi2 1 2
Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Isfahan, P.O. Box 73441-81746, Isfahan, Iran Department of Botany, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, P.O. Box 13185-116, Tehran, Iran
A new species of the genus Astragalus, namely A. hakkianus Bagheri, Maassoumi & Rahimin. is described and illustrated from NW Iran. It is most closely related to A. pereshkhoranicus Maassoumi & F. Ghahrem. and A. chehreganii Zarre & Podlech.
Submitted: January 22, 2014 Revised: March 25, 2014 Accepted: April 9, 2014
Keywords: Astragalus section Hymenostegis, Flora of Iran, Leguminosae, new taxon, taxonomy
1
Introduction*
The genus Astragalus L., a member of the legume family (Fabaceae), with nearly 3000 species is probably the largest both among flowering plants (Podlech and Zarre, 2013) and in the flora of Iran (Maassoumi, 1998). Among the perennial species of the genus Astragalus, the taxonomy of sect. Hymenostegis Bunge (Bunge, 1868/69) was the subject of several controversial treatments. As the result of our recent field study, a morphologically distinct population was discovered that was restricted to NW Iran. Our detailed examinations clarify the collected samples as a new species. This new taxon is clearly belonging to A. sect. Hymenostgis which is characterized by many-flowered racemes, large papery bracts and tubular-inflated calyces. Iran is the center of diversity of this species recording to encompasses 57 mostly endemic species (Bagheri et al. 2011). Astragalus hakkianus Bagheri, Maassoumi & Rahimin. sp. nova. (Fig. 1).
2
Diagnosis
Differt ab Astragalus pereshkhoranicus Maassoumi & F. Ghahrem. stipulis chartaceis, ca. 25 mm (nec tenuiter hyalino-membranaceis, ad 10–13 mm) longis, foliis 7– Correspondence: Prof. Rahiminejad, Isfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran E-Mail:
[email protected]
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12 cm (nec 2–3.5 cm), foliolis 6–8 (nec 5–6) jugis, 5–20 × 2–7 (nec 5–8 × 1.5–2.5) mm, pedunculis 7–13 (nec 1.5–7) cm longis, bracteis juvenilis sparse pilosis diend glabrescentis, 13–17 × 4–6 (nec glaber, 9–15 × 5–7 mm), dentibus 6–8 mm (nec 7–12 mm) longus, vexillo 14–17 (nec 18–25) mm longo. Ab Astragalus chehreganii Zarre & Podlech stipulis chartaceis, ca. 25 mm (nec membranaceis, ad 12–17 mm) longis, foliis 7–12 cm (nec 2.3–11.5 cm) longis, foliolis 6–8 (nec (3)5–11) jugis, pedunculis 7–13 (nec 10–21) cm longis, dense pilis ascendibus vel patentibus vestitis (nec appressis), bracteis juvenilis sparse pilosis diend glabrescentis, 13– 17 × 4–6 (nec glaber, 7–10 × 3–6 mm), vexillo 14–17 (nec 16–21) mm longo.
3
Description
Plants subshrubby, caespitose, spiny, 18–30 cm tall and ca. 60 cm in diameter. Stems in the older parts ligneous, up to 5 cm, branched at the base, older parts covered with remnants of old leaves and stipules; parts of the current year 1.5–3 mm. Stipules chartaceous, ca. 25 mm long, narrowly triangular-acuminate, adnate to the petiole for 10–14 mm, shortly vaginate, ca. 2 mm connate to each other, glabrous, ciliate at the margins with hairs 0.7–2 mm. Leaves 7–12 cm long, paripinnate and pungent at tip; petiole 2–6 cm, like the rachis densely covered with ascending hairs 0.5–1.5 mm. Leaflets in 6– 8 pairs, elliptic to obovate, 5–20 × 2–7 mm, acuminate, with a pungent cusp 0.5–1.5 mm, both sides densely covered with subappressed to spreading and ascending © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
