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| Bufonia darvishii Zeraatkar, in Zeraatkar, 2024. DOI: 10.1111/njb.04440 |
Abstract
A new subalpine species of Bufonia sect. Longipedicellata from the Zagros Mountains in west Iran is described and illustrated here. It colonizes mountain slopes with gravelly, stony, and scree substrates in one locality of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, preferably with a western and north-west orientation, at elevations between 2700 and 3100 m a.s.l. The new species, B. darvishii, is diagnosed against the morphologically similar B. macrocarpa. The two species share similarities such as filiform and long pedicels, a lax panicle-cyme inflorescence, distribution pattern of trichomes, and long peduncles. However, the new species stands out with semi-shrub life form, its greater height, retention of the previous year's stems, cymes bearing more flowers, orbicular petals, larger petals, a broadly ovate ovary, larger sepals with more pronounced nervation, shorter pedicels, larger flowers, etc. Bufonia darvishii is proposed to be Critically Endangered (CR) following the guidelines of the IUCN.
Keywords: alpine flora, Bakhtiari, endangered species, Mount Kallar, steno-endemic species
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| Bufonia darvishii sp. nov. in the wild (Mount Kallar). |
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Bufonia darvishii sp. nov. in the wild (Mount Kallar). Habitat (Mount Kallar). Flower parts in (a) Flower, (b) iInner sepal, (c) outer sepal, (d) stamens, (e) pistil, (f) petals. Scales: (b–d, f): 1 mm. (e): 0.5 mm. (a): 2 mm. |
Bufonia darvishii Zeraatkar sp. nov.
Diagnosis: A species related to Bufonia macrocarpa Ser. but exhibiting a significantly greater height (30–50 versus 20–35 cm), semi-shrub life form (versus erect chamaephyte), while retaining previous year's stems, longer leaves (up to 13 versus up to 10 mm), cymes bearing more flowers (10–25 versus mostly 3–10), orbicular petals (versus ovate or obovate), larger (3.0–3.5 mm in diameter, versus (1.5) 1.8–2.0 (3.0) × 1.5–2.0 mm), and broadly ovate ovary (versus elliptic or rounded) petals, different petal length/filament length ratio (shorter versus longer), larger sepals (2.5–3.0 × 1.0–1.6 versus 1.5–2.0 (3.0) × ca 0.8 mm) and with more pronounced nervature (7–9-veined versus 3–7-veined), shorter pedicels (up to 15 mm versus up to 30 mm), and possessing larger flower (ca 5–6 mm in diameter versus 3–4 mm).
Etymology: The specific epithet honors Mohammad Darvish, a desert researcher from the Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, and an Iranian environmentalist who has made comprehensive and diverse efforts to preserve the environment in Iran. His environmental leadership includes the protection of ecosystems, plant and animal species, as well as the reduction of waste and pollution. He and like-minded associates are primarily directed towards recognizing and addressing how actions related to environmental protection can impact human health and well-being.
Amin Zeraatkar. 2024. Bufonia darvishii (Caryophyllaceae), A Novel endemic Species from Zagros Mountains, Iran. Nordic Journal of Botany. DOI: doi.org/10.1111/njb.04440
