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Abstract

Verbascum birjandense and V. urumiense are described as new endemic species of Verbascum from eastern and northwestern Iran. It was not possible to assign the samples of these two taxa to any of the known Verbascum species in Iran and adjacent regions. Collating the morphological characters of the samples against the specialized and pertinent literature of the genus led us to propose them as new species. Both belong to section Bothrosperma, subsection Fasciculata. These new species are morphologically close to V. erianthum and V. songaricum based on some key characteristics, but show some differences in basal leaves shape, pedicel size, the ratio of pedicel to calyx, presence of hairs inside the corolla, and the hair color of the stamen’s filaments. Distribution map and details of important characters are also presented.

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... The region is situated on the ecotone border of the Irano-Turanian (IT) and Saharo-Sindian (SS) regions, with a maximum elevation of 2111 meters and an average annual rainfall of 102 mm. (Yousefi, 2006;Zhu et al., 2019 Ceballos et al., 1998;Crosby, 1994;Jetz et al., 2004;Linder, 2001;Myers et al., 2000 Komarov, 1968Komarov, -2001 ‫اﯾﺮان‬ ‫ﻓﻠﻮر‬ ،( ) Assadi et al., 1989Assadi et al., -2023 ،( ‫ﻓﻠﻮر‬ ‫اروﭘـﺎ‬ ) Tutin et al., 1964Tutin et al., -1980 ( ، ‫ﻓﻠﻮر‬ ‫ﻋﺮاق‬ ) Townsend et al., 1966Townsend et al., -1980 ،( ‫ﻓﻠﻮر‬ ‫ﺗﺮﮐﯿﻪ‬ ) Davis, 1965Davis, -1988 ( ، ‫ﻓﻠﻮر‬ ‫ـﺮق‬ ‫ﺷ‬ ) Boissier, 1984Boissier, -1988 ‫ﻓﻠﻮر‬ ،( ; Ezazi et al., 2014 ;Breckle, 2007Ghahremaninejad et al., 2012a, 2012bGhahremaninejad et al., 2017;Leonard, 1989 Abbasi et al., 2012;Aliabadi, 1997Aliabadi, , 2019Eftekharnejad, 1980;Ghasempour et al., 2011;Sotoodeh et al., 2022;Stocklin, 1968 1989Leonard, 1988Takhtajan, 1986;Zohary, 1973 ...
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Estand protected region, situated in the south of South Khorassan province, is the overlapping point of part of the flora of eastern Iran with western Afghanistan. The main characteristics of the region representing high biodiversity, next to the Lut desert, maximum height of 2111 meters, average annual rainfall of 102 mm and serving as a transitional zone between the Irano-Turanian (IT) and Saharo-Sindian (SS) regions. Samplings were taken randomly between 2019 and 2022 in an area of 101000 hectares. The flora, Life form and Chorology of the species were investigated and the conservation status was determined by GeoCAT software. In this study, 114 taxa belonging to 102 species, 78 genera and 30 families and Angiosperms, with 28 dicotyledonous families & one monocotyledon family and Gymnosperms, with one family were identified. The most important plant families & genera in terms of species richness were Asteraceae (20), and Amaranthaceae (18) species, and Artemisia, Cousinia genera each with 3 species. Chamaephytes and Throphites were dominant life forms in the region with 30% and 26%, respectively. Among them, 21 Endemic species, 30 medicinal species & 14 Critically Endengered species (CR) were identified and chorologically, most of the species belong to the Irano- Turanian (IT) (55%) region.
... Four new endemic species from northern Iran have recently been described: Verbascum birjandense Sotoodeh and Verbascum urumiense Sotoodeh based on morphology (Sotoodeh et al. 2022), Verbascum parsana Sotoodeh, Attar & Civeyrel considering a combination of morphology and ITS and plastid DNA data Sotoodeh et al. (2015); and Verbascum shahsavarense Sotoodeh, Attar & Civeyrel based on the presence of bicoloured hairs on the stamen filaments and the unique characteristics of anthers and pedicels (Sotoodeh et al. 2016). ...
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A new species of the genus Verbascum (sect. Bothrospermae) is described and illustrated from Turkey. This species has been collected from Orhaneli region (Bursa Province) in West Anatolia. Verbascum ekicii sp. nov. is morphologically similar to V. latisepalum and V. alyssifolium from which it differs mainly in basal leaves, corolla, filaments and capsule features. In this study, comprehensive descriptions, ecology, conservation status, a distribution map, detailed illustrations, photographs of habitus, pollen morphology and comparison of the new species and the closely related species are given.
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Aim The Irano‐Turanian ( IT ) floristic region is characterized by high levels of endemicity. Despite its potential role as a cradle of xerophytic taxa for neighbouring areas, its biogeographical history remains poorly studied. H aplophyllum , a diagnostic element of the IT region, was used as a model to discriminate between alternative biogeographical scenarios for the evolution of the region and, more specifically, to investigate whether it served as a source of xerophytes for the colonization of the Mediterranean Basin. Location Irano‐Turanian floristic region (Central Asia and West Asiatic areas) and Mediterranean floristic region (western and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Basin). Methods Three chloroplast DNA regions were sequenced in 77 accessions of Haplophyllum and 37 accessions from other subfamilies of Rutaceae. To elucidate the temporal and spatial evolution of Haplophyllum in the IT and Mediterranean regions, we performed Bayesian molecular dating analyses with four fossil constraints and ancestral range reconstructions, respectively. Results Our molecular dating and ancestral area reconstruction analyses suggest that Haplophyllum originated in the Central Asian part of the IT region during the early Eocene and started to diversify in situ during the early Oligocene, soon after the vanishing of the Tethys Ocean. Our results further imply that Haplophyllum later invaded the eastern Mediterranean Basin in the middle‐to‐late Miocene, concomitantly with the Paratethys Salinity Crisis and rapid palaeobiogeographical changes in the proto‐Mediterranean. Finally, Haplophyllum diversified in the western Mediterranean in the early Pliocene at the end of the Messinian Salinity Crisis. Main conclusions The IT floristic region can serve as a ‘donor’ of xerophytic taxa to ‘recipient’ neighbouring regions, including the Mediterranean floristic region. The climatic/geological processes during the Miocene–Pliocene, by increasing aridity and topographic heterogeneity, facilitated range shifts and allopatric speciation in the region.
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Birjand is located near the Afghanistan border in eastern part Iran at the 57° 45´ to 50° 60´ latitude and 10° 31´ to 33° 15´ northern longitude with an altitude of 1419 m, and a surface area of 31704 Km. In this contribution some floristic and ethnobotanical aspects of the area are given according to the conventional methods used in taxonomical and ethnobotanical studies. All collected plants were identified using available flora. A total of 37 families, 128 genera and 160 species were identified from the area. The largest family is Asteraceae with 16 genera and 22 species and the largest genera are Salsola and Acanthophyllum with 4 species. About 40% of plants are used as medicinal plants, 47/8% pastural, 8/3% poisonous and 4% with industrial uses. The life form of plant species was determined using the Raunkier's method. Phanerophytes comprised 11/45%, chamaephytes 20%, hemicryptophytes 27%, chryptophytes 5/7% and therophytes 33% of the flora of the area. The most important medicinal plants of the area are: Achillea tenuifolia (Asteraceae), Berberis vulgaris (Berberidaceae), Ephedra procera (Ephedraceae), Crocus sativus (Iridaceae), Hymenocrater calycinus, Teucrium polium, Ziziphora clinipodiodes (Lamiaceae), Ziziphus jojoba (Rhamnaceae) and Pistacia atlantica (Anacardiaceae). The most important industrial species are: Ferula assa-foetida and Dorema ammoniacum (Apiaceae).
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  • .......................................................................................... . Petiole Winged
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