NEW RECORDS AND NEW SYNONYM OF ASTRAGALUS SECTIONS AMMODENDRON AND CAPRINI (FABACEAE) FROM IRAN

Three species, i.e. Astragalus zurmatensis Podlech & Zarre, A. similissimus Podlech & Zarre and A. urgunensis Podlech (sect. Ammodendron) and also A. kopetdaghi Boriss. var. kopetdaghi (sect. Caprini) are reported for the first time for the flora of Iran and compared with their closest relatives. The later variety is characterized by lacking of hairs on the vegetative organs. Moreover, type specimens of A. semiglabricarpus Maassoumi and A. hekmat-safaviae F. Ghahremani. were revised and compared. Since there are no differences between them, A. semiglabricarpus is considered as a synonym of the latter. A new locality for the rare species A. ahmed-adlii Bornm. & Gauba is also reported from Yazd province. Illustrations and distribution map for the taxa are presented.