نشریه تاکسونومی و بیوسیستماتیک
سال دوازدهم شماره 4 (پیاپی 45، زمستان 1399)

In this study, the flora, life form and chorology of plants in the west of Maharloo watershed located in Fars province, with an area of 293.8 square kilometers, were studied by sampling by linear method and linear transect during 2019 and 2020. This region is located at an altitude of 1800 to 2050 meters above sea level. Based on the results, 154 plant species belonging to 34 families and 108 genera were identified in this region, of which 30 species were endemic to Iran and the Iranian plateau and 5 species were endemic to Fars province. The families Asteraceae with 29 species (18.83%), Papilionaceae with 20 species (12.98%) and Poaceae with 18 species (11.68%) are in the first to third ranks, respectively. Therophytes with 59 species (38.32%) were the most abundant life form. The highest chorology of plants with 82 species (53.25%) is related to the Iranian-Turanian region. It is suggested that with proper management will be provided opportunities for reproduction and conservation of plant species in this region.

Different species of Alcea L. are widely distributed in different regions of Iran. In the present study, macromorphological factors such as leaf characteristics, flower, plant height, and leaf micromorphological factors such as stomata and hairs in the ecotypes of Alcea koelzii, A. arbelensis, and A. aucheri were compared under different habitat conditions. These characters were different among different ecotypes of each species and among species. All traits, including stomatal perimeter, stomatal area, guard cell length, large width of stomata on leaves, hair density on the surface below the leaves and stem height were significantly higher in A. koelzii than the other two species. The stomata were anisocytic type. The results showed that under the leaves, the stomata density was higher than the upper surface of the leaf, and there was an inverse relationship between the stomatal density and stomatal size. There was also a positive and significant correlation between the characteristics of the stomatal structure with the stomatal perimeter and the stomatal area. The study showed that the hair density in the lower surface of the leaf was higher than its upper surface. The hairs were mostly stellar and multi-branched. The changes in macro and micromorphological characters of ecotype, such as changes in size and density of stomata and hairs, indicated high adaptation to different habitat conditions, and this is particularly important in propagation, breeding, and genetic conservation programs. The morphological diversity of Alcea L. showed that it was compatible with different environmental conditions and therefore can be easily expanded to produce medicinal products.

The present study was conducted to investigate the morphological variations in different populations of Barbus lacerta from the Iranian part of the Tigris River drainage using the geometric morphometric method. For this purpose, a total of 133 specimens were collected from the Leileh, Bid-Sorkh, Golein, Sepid-barg, Dinavar, Kelash-bakhan, and Roudbar rivers. In the Lab, the left side of the specimens was photographed and on their 2D images, 12 landmark-points were defined and digitized using tpsDig2 software. After conducting generalized procrustes analysis, the extracted data were analyzed using multivariate statistical methods, including PCA and cluster analysis (CA). The results showed significant differences in the body shape of the studied populations except the Kelash-bakhan and Dinavar (p < 0.05). The observed differences indicated that the morphological variations are due to their phenotypic plasticity to environmental conditions, the evolution of the body shape, and the geographical distance in the Iranian part of the Tigris basin. Therefore, each population of this species should be considered as a separate stock.

The endemic and rare species of Ophrys turcomanica is collected for the central herbarium of Iran (TARI) from its type locality in Golestan province after about half a century from its first report in the Flora Iranica. Based on the evidence obtained from the morphological study of the newly-collected sample, the taxonomic status of this species which is often mentioned as the synonym of O. sphegodes subsp. mammosa, O. sphegodes subsp. transhyrcana and O. sphegodes subsp. mammosa var. transhyrcana is discussed. The description of the species is provided. To evaluate its conservation status based on the IUCN method, the populations of this species are studied by three criteria: Extent of Occurrence (EOO), Area of Occupancy (AOO), and the size of the population. Based on field evidence and calculations of the sample plot, the area occupied by the species is 300 m2 and its presence is 1 km2. Therefore, the conservation status of this species is strongly determined at the level of ‘critically endangered(CR)’. Images of the habitat and inflorescence are presented.

Oshtorankooh protected area is located in the east of Lorestan. The aim of the present study was to investigate vegetation, biological forms, and geographical distribution pattern of plant species in the area. A total of 730 species of vascular plants belonging to 77 families and 382 plant genera were identified. Asteraceae (116 species), Fabaceae (81 species), Lamiaceae (74 species), Poaceae (63 species), Brassicaceae (56 species), Apiaceae (46 species), and Rosaceae (24 species) had the highest number of species and the largest share of species richness in the study area. Hemicryptophyt with 264 species (36.16%) and Therophyt with 251 (34.38 %) were the most frequent biological form of the area. The plant species of the Irano-Turanian region with 330 species (45.2%) had the highest distribution and the dominant species of the region. Of the total species identified in the Oshtrankooh protected area, 107 were Iranian Endemics. In order to preserve valuable species of this region, it is necessary to implement severe conservation plannings.

Common reed (Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. Ex Steud.) is one of the important invasive weeds in the world that helps agricultural crop pathogen survival, proliferation, and distribution via infestation of shrubby and tree crop fields. Also, the weed causes problems via water canal occlusion and growth along with railroads. However, the plant culms are profitable in the building of dwellings, feeding of livestock as well as in the phytoremediation of polluted water, and production of biofuel. Hence, it is very relevant to identify the fungi pathogenic on the plant. Among these fungi, there are two species of the genus Utrechtiana Crous and Quaedvl. U. roumeguerei (Cavara) Videira & Crous and U. arundinacea (Corda) Crous, Quaedvi. & Marín respectively reported here for the first and the second time from Iran. Additionally, the symptoms of both fungal diseases are reported. This article is the first report of the incidence of the fungal pathogen U. roumeguerei and fusoid eye spot disease of common reed in Iran.