z. jamzad

Thymbra spicata L. (Lamiaceae) is a small evergreen shrub, woody at the base, and 10 to 50 cm high, found in the tropical regions of Kermanshah, Ilam, and Lorestan provinces in Iran. To assess its conservation status, we employed IUCN Red List Criteria and Categories. Field surveys and plot sampling revealed an Area of Occupancy (AOO) of 44 km² within an Extent of Occurrence (EOO) of 10,882 km². Based on the AOO, population size, regeneration primarily through seeds, and habitat quality, the conservation status of T. spicata in Iran is assessed as Endangered (EN). Field observations indicate that lack of proper management and excessive exploitation are the primary threats to this rare species. We recommend the following conservation measures: Designation of protected habitats by the Forests, Rangeland and Watershed Management Organization, and Ex-situ conservation in botanical gardens and the Plant Natural Resources Gene Bank.

In order to evaluate several ecological factors, morphological traits, essential oil productivity and ploidy levels of Thymus eriocalyx (Ronniger) Jalas with uses of DSS method ten natural habitats were selected  in Lorestan, Markazi, Hamadan, Kermanshah and Kurdestan provinces  in Iran. To study and evaluate morphological characters, five complete plant samples and flowering branches were collected from each locality at flowering stage for essential oil extraction in spring season of 2008. Ecological data of ten localities were also recorded. Vegetative and reproductive traits and essential oil quantity of each population were studied. Seeds were also collected in the seed production season to study seed characters, chromosome counting and ploidy level. At least 10 mitotic cells of each population were studied to determine chromosome numbers and ploidy levels. All populations were classified in 4 groups. Results revealed that specimens from "Te9 population" had the highest average length and width of inflorescence leaf, inflorescence leaf length to width ratio, stem leaf length to width ratio, petiole length, calyx tube length, corolla length and the highest average length and width of bracteole. The results of chromosome counting showed that specimens of Te1, Te2, Te3, Te4, Te5, Te6 and Te8 populations were diploid (2n=2x=30) and specimens of Te7, Te9 and Te10 populations were tetraploid (2n=4x=60). The highest essential oil production belonged to Te5 population (3.04%).

Thymus persicus is an endemic species of the genus Thymus (Lamiaceae) which grows in Zanjan and West Azerbaijan (Takab) provinces of Iran. Among the Iranian Thymus species, T. persicus is well differentiated by having the smallest leaf width among Thymus species with long non-glandular and short glandular hairs. In order to evaluate the phylogenetic relationships of the T. persicus and T. marandensis Jamzad, the recently and assumed related species to T. brachychilus Jalas and T. leucotrichus Hal., a molecular analysis based on nrDNA ITS sequences of 25 accessions belonging to 19 species of Thymus together with representatives of genera Origanum, Thymbra, Satureja, Micromeria, Gontscharovia, Ziziphora, Saccocalyx and Zataria was performed. The results of phylogenetic analysis showed that the genus Thymus is paraphyletic when the monotypic genus Saccocalyx is included and its sister relationship with Origanum was confirmed. While the phylogenetic position of T. persicus among the other taxa of Thymus is appeared unresolved. T. marandensis turned out to be the sister to a group of Thymus species including T. carmanicus, T. migricus, T. pubescens, T. trautvetteri and T. daenensis.

Satureja kermanshahensis is described as a new species from Iran. It is characterized by a dense columnar spicate inflorescence, 3-10 cm long, verticillasters 2-flowered and densely glandular pubescent leaves. It grows in crevices of rocks in Kermanshah province in western Iran. It is compared with S. coerulea from Bulgaria, Romania and NW Turkey, S. bachtiarica and S. edmondi growing in western Iran.

The species belonging to Nepeta sect. Psilonepeta Benth. recognized by K.H. Rechinger in Flora Iranica are revised. Nepeta bazoftica Jamzad is described as a new species in this section. It is characterized by a broad ovate, petiolate leaf, deeply cordate at base, with shallowly crenate-dentate margins; a lax pedunculate cyme; calyx throat with a ring of hairs inside; corolla long exserted from the calyx. The new species is closely related to N. archibaldii and belongs to a natural group of species partly recognized by Bentham in sect. Psilonepeta, characterized by a straight to slightly curved calyx, throat straight, with an internal ring of hairs; corolla clearly exserted from calyx, with a deflexed lower lip. Nepeta iranshahrii previously recognized in sect. Capituliferae and N. pinetorum of sect. Schizocalyx share the same floral characteristics and are considered in the same group. Furthermore, N. scrophularioides Rech. f. with an oblique calyx throat, without a hairy ring inside is excluded from sect. Psilonepeta and is considered as a synonym of N. fissa C. A. Mey.

Nutlet micromorphology of 14 taxa of Scutellaria of subgenera Scutellaria (sects. Scutellaria and Anaspis) and Apeltanthus (sect. Lupulinaria) in Iran was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Nutlet surface sculpturing varies prominently among species within two subgenera and this is mostly congruent with the latest subgenric classification of the genus. However some differences were observed among species in some sections. Five nutlet types were identified: Type I, papillate with sessile glands among the papillae (subgenus Scutellaria sect. Scutellaria: Sc. galericulata). Type II. papillate, papillae circular with concave apex. (subgenus Scutellaria section Scutellaria: Sc. tournefortii). Type III. Nutlet surface papillate, papillae with obtuse to acute apex, more or less finger like (subgenus Scutellaria, section Anaspis: Scutellaria ariana). Type IV, nutlet surface with flattened or apical depressed papillae, with adpressed and patent hairs partially covering the surface, concentrated near the papillae apices. (subgenus Scutellaria: Sc. condensata subsp. condensata and subsp pycnotricha and Sc. velenovskyi subsp. subsimilis). Type V, surface densely hairy with stellate or long simple hairs (sect. Lupulinaria: Sc. araxensis, Sc. farsistanica, Sc. litwinowii, Sc. luteo-coerulea, Sc. multicaulis, Sc. pinnatifida, Sc. platystegia, Sc. theobromina and Sc. tomentosa.).

Thymus marandensis Jamzad is described as a species new to science. It is closely related to Th. persicus (Ronniger ex Rech. f.) Jalas,Th. brachychilus Jalas and Th. leucotrichus Hal. Thymus linearis Benth. subsp. linearis, Satureja macrosiphonia Bornm. and Micromeria cristata (Hampe) Griseb. subsp. cristata are reported for the first time from Iran. Their distribution patterns are discussed.

Mentha longifolia (L.) Hudson from labiatae family has different varities. In present study we selected Mentha longifolia (L.) Hudson var. kermanansis and Mentha longifolia (L.) Hudson var. kotschiana, whichcultivated in Research station of Alborz (Karadj). The volatile oil extracted from plant by steam distillation method and analyzed by GC  and GC/MS. The major constituents  obtained from M. longifolia (L.) Hudson var. kermanansis  in flower oil were piperitenone oxide (44.3%), piperitone (25.3%)and piperitenone (10.6%) and in leaf oil were , piperitenone oxide (45.7%), piperitone (30.6%), piperitenone (5.6%), and for M. longifolia (L.) Hudson var. kotschiana in flower oil were piperitone (58.2%), 1,8-cineole (26.7%) and piperitenone oxide (4.6%) and in leaf oil were piperitone (64%) and 1,8-cineole (28.4%).