INTRODUCTION

The genus Linaria Mill. is widely distributed

throughout the world except the Americas. It comprises

annual or perennial herbs growing in a wide variety of

habitats including dry and sandy areas and rocky slopes.

Sutton (1988) recognized 150 species, of which 25 occur

in Iran. This study was based on materials in different

herbaria in Iran (TARI, IRAN, TUH, FUMH) and also

field observations. In addition to macromorphological

characters, seed micromophological characters were

examined under SEM. As a result of extensive studies

of herbarium material and field work throughout the

mountainous area of the province Fars and mountainous

area in the N.W. Fars province, a new species of the genus

Linaria Miller (sect. Linaria) was found and described

below.

Linaria farsensis S. M. M. Hamdi & M. Assadi sp. nov.¡X

Holotype: Iran, Fars province, Abadeh, Soghad, Dashte

Ayon, 2,100-2,270 m, 4 Jun 1975, P. Wendelbo & H.

Foroughi (TARI 17870). Figures 1, 2a-c & g, 3

Planta perennis, herbacea, glauca, gabra, erecta;

caules fertiles 15-20 cm longi, supra ramosi. Folia

calinum fertilium 10-15¡Ñ6-8 mm, alterna, linaria, acuta.

Inflorescentia 1-2 cm longa, floribus 2-7, densa. Bracteae

5-5.5¡Ñ1.5 mm, acutae, lanceolatae, gabra. Pediceli 1-1.5

mm longi. Calycis lobi equales, 6-6.5¡Ñ1.5-1.7 mm, acuti,

Botanical Studies (2007) 48: 233-237.

*

Corresponding author: E-mail: mm_hamdi@asia.com; Tel:

+98-21-88890077; Fax: +98-21-88890077.

lanceolati, scarious. Corolla 19-20 mm longa, flava, venis

violaceis; tubus ad osem 7.5-5 mm latus; sinus labii 2 mm

longi; calcar 8-8.5 mm longum, ad basem 2 mm latum,

rectum, cetro corolla brevior. Capsula 4-4.5¡Ñ5 mm, calyce

aequales. Semina 2.2-2.4¡Ñ1.2 mm, alata, alae incluso

0.5-0.7 mm, reniformia, atro-cinerea.

Glaucous perennial herb, glabrous, erect; fertile stems

15-20 cm long, branched. Leaves of fertile stems 10-15¡Ñ

6-8 mm, alternate, obovate-orbicular, acute to subacute.

Inflorescence 1-2 cm long with 2-7 flowers. Bracts 5-5.5¡Ñ

1.5 mm, margin scarious, subacute, lanceolate, glabrous.

Pedicels 1-1.5 mm long. Calyx lobes equal or subequal,

6-6.5¡Ñ1.5-1.7 mm, acute, lanceolate, scarious. Corolla

19-20 mm long, yellow with violet viens or tinged violet;

tube 7-8 mm wide at mouth; adaxial lip sinus 2 mm,

distance between lip apex 5 mm; spur 8-8.5 mm long, 2

mm wide at base, straight, shorter than the rest of corolla.

Capsules 4-4.5¡Ñ5 mm. Seeds 2.2-2.4¡Ñ1.2 mm long, wing

0.5-0.75 mm wide, reniform, dark-grey, disc smooth.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the

type locality Fars province in southern Iran.

Distribution and habitat. The new species occur at

2,100-2,270 m altitude in grassland community in Abadeh,

Fars province (Figure 3). Its seems to be confined to the

upper alpine climatic regions (Fars subprovince, Iran-

Turanian region).

Notes. The new species occurs sympartically with

and appears to be releated to Linaria michauxii Chav.

that is widely distributed in east, central to southern Iran

TaxONOmy

Linaria farsensis, a new species of Linaria miller Sect.

Linaria (Scrophulariaceae) from Iran

S.M.M. HAMDI

1,

*, M. ASSADI

2

, and T. NEJADSATARI

3

1

Islamic Azad University, Garmsar Branch, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Garmsar, P. O. Box, 14155-7336,

Tehran, IRAN

2

Research Institute of Forests & Rangelands, P. O. Box, 13185-116, Tehran, IRAN

3

Islamic Azad University, Tehran Science & Research branch, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Tehran, IRAN

(Received January 24, 2006; Accepted November 2, 2006)

aBSTRaCT.

Linaria farsensis is described as a new species from Fars Province of Iran. This species belong

to the section Linaria. The new species is compared with its closest relative Linaria michauxii Chav. This

species is similar to Linaria michauxii Chav. in having pedicel 1-1.5 mm long, obovate-orbicular leaves and

stem height. It differs from Linaria michauxii in having a shorter corolla (vs. 29-43 mm long), shorter spur

(vs. 17-24 mm long), shorter bracts (vs. 5-14 mm long), shorter style (vs. 11 mm long), shorter stamen (vs.

13 mm long), shorter capsule (vs. 5.5-12¡Ñ6-10 long) and granular ornamentation pattern of cells (vs. flat

ornamentation pattern of cells).

Keywords: Linaria; New species; Scrophulariaceae; Taxonomy; Iran.

234

Botanical Studies, Vol. 48, 2007

Figure 1. Linaria farsensis. a, habit; b, flower; c, calyx; d, capsule; e, opened corolla; f, adaxial lip sinus; g, sterile stamen. Drawn

from the type collection, P. Wendelbo & H. Foroughi (TARI 17870), by M. Mehranfard.

HAMDI et al. ¡X

Linaria

farsensis

, a new species from Iran

235

Figure 2. Scanning electron micrographs of seeds of Linaria. a-c, g, L. farsensis (TARI 17870); d-f, h, L. michauxii (TARI 1146-1,

Esfahan, ghameshloo, Arya protected area, Bahgaki, 2,000-2,200 m, 20 May 1996, Yousefi); a, seed overview; b, testa cells of seed

corpus; c, wing edge; d, overview; e, testa cells of seed corpus; f, wing edge; g-h, surface of inside wall at the base of valve of dehisced

capsules of Linaria. Scale bars: a=200 £gm, b=3 £gm, c=10 £gm, d=300 £gm, e=10 mm, f=10 £gm, g=30 £gm, h=30 £gm.

236

Botanical Studies, Vol. 48, 2007

(Sutton, 1988). This new species is similar to Linaria

michauxii Chav. in having pedicels 1-1.5 mm long,

leaves obovate-orbicular and stem height. It differs from

Linaria michauxii in having a shorter corolla (vs. 29-43

mm long), shorter spur (vs. 17-24 mm long), shorter

bracts (vs. 5-14 mm long), shorter style (vs. 11 mm long),

shorter stamen (vs. 13 mm long), shorter capsule (vs.

5.5-12¡Ñ6-10 long) and granular ornamentation pattern

of cells (vs. flat ornamentation pattern of cells) (Table

1). Seed coat micromorphology (Elisens, 1985) provides

further evidence of distinction: seed surface cells are

irregularly pentagonal and hexagonal in L. farsensis and

irregularly hexagonal in L. michauxii. Ornamentation

pattern on testa cell is also different. It is more granular

in the new taxon and flat in L. michauxii. Capsule, style,

corolla, spur, stamen and seed are smaller than those of

L. michauxii (Davise, 1982; Kuperianova, 1950; Sutton,

1988). The inside surface cells of capsules of L. farsensis

are distinctly larger than those in L. michauxii and with a

different shape (Figure 2).

Figure 3. Distribution map of (¡´) Linaria michauxii and (

„\

)

Linaria farsensis in Iran.

Table 1. Comparison of the new species Linaria farsensis with L. michauxii.

Characters

L. farsensis

L. michauxii

Flower

Corolla length

19-20

(29-)32-43

Spur (mm)

8-8.5

17-24

Ratio spur/rest of corolla

<0.5

.0.5

Pedicel (mm)

1-1.5

1-3.5

Bracts (mm)

5-5.5

5-14

Calyx lobes (mm)

6-6.5¡Ñ1.5-1.7

6-8.5¡Ñ2-2.7

Adaxial lip sinus of corolla (mm)

2

2.3-4

Distance between apex of adaxial lips (mm) 5

6-7

Style length (mm)

7

11

Long stamen (mm)

9

13

Short stamen (mm)

6

10

Staminodes (mm)

1

2

Leaf size (mm)

10-15¡Ñ6-8

(3-) 8-27¡Ñ(2.5-)7-24

Stem height (cm)

15-20

4.5-22

Capsule size (mm)

4-4.5¡Ñ5

5.5-12¡Ñ6-10

Seed length (mm)

2.2-2.4

2.6-3

Wing (mm)

0.5-0.7

0.4-0.7

Seed form

Reniform

Reniform

Cells shape of testa

Irregular pentagonal & hexagonal Irregular hexagonal

Cell shape of wing

Irregular pentagonal

Irregular pentagonal & hexagonal

Length of test cell (£gm)

27-30

18-30

Width of test cell (£gm)

15-23

12-18

Length of wing cells (£gm)

80-120

70-100

Width of wing cells (£gm)

30-35

21-35

Cells surface

Granular

Flat

HAMDI et al. ¡X

Linaria

farsensis

, a new species from Iran

237

Key to distinguishing L. farsensis

from L.

michauxii

1. Corolla 19-20 mm, spur 8-8.5 mm, shorter than the rest

of corolla ..................................................... L. farsensis

1. Corolla 29-43 mm, spur subequal to or longer than the

rest of corolla ............................................. L. michauxii

Acknowledgment. The authors thank Mrs. N. Sadeghi

and Mrs. A. Eshghi for technical assistance with seeds coat

SEM studies and Mr. Mahrnfard from IRAN herbarium for

the illustrations.

LITERaTURE CITED

Davise, P.H. 1982. Scrophulariaceae. In P.H. Davis (ed.), Flora

of Turky and the Aegean Islands 5. Edinburgh, pp. 458-748.

Elis ens, N.J. 1985. The s ystematic significance of seed coat

anatomy among new world species of tribe Anterrhineae

(Scrophulariaceae). Syst. Bot. 10: 282-299.

Kuperianova, L.A. 1950. Linaria. In B.K. Sis ki n a nd E .G.

Bobrov (eds.), Flora SSSR 22. Moskva & Leningerad, pp.

178-225.

Sutton, D.A. 1988. A revision of the tribe Anterrhineae

Antirrhineae (Scrophulariaceae). Oxford: Oxford University

Press, London & Oxford.