Friday, August 8, 2025

[Botany • 2025] Myosotis persica (Boraginaceae) • A New Species from alpine wetlands of NW Iran

 

Myosotis persica  Bidarlord, Akbarnejad & F. Ghahrem.,

in Bidarlord, Akbarnejad, Riahi, Hoseini et Ghahremaninejad, 2025. 

Abstract
A new species, Myosotis persica, is described and illustrated from the alpine wetlands of the Talesh Mountains in northwestern Iran, a transitional zone between the Irano-Turanian and Euro-Siberian floristic regions. Morphological distinctiveness and phylogenetic analysis based on nuclear ribosomal ITS sequences support its recognition as a species new to science. Morphological comparisons indicate that M. persica is closely allied to M. koelzii, M. ramosissima, and M. diminuta but can be distinguished by its dwarf habit, branched filiform stems, patent to erect leaf hairs, deeply lobed calyx, and nutlet morphology. Phylogenetic reconstruction confirms its placement within Myosotis subgen. Myosotis, forming a supported clade with M. koelzii and M. ramosissima. With an estimated extent of occurrence less than 10 km² and a total population size under 1500 individuals, the species is assessed as Critically Endangered (CR) under IUCN criteria. The findings underscore the importance of conserving alpine wetland habitats and provide new insights into species diversification within the genus Myosotis in south-western Asia.

Keyword: alpine wetland, Ardabil, forget-me-nots, Irano-Turanian region, taxonomy, Talesh Mountains

Myosotis persica:
A.-B. in flower (bar 1 cm), C. in fruit, D. habitat, E. pedicel and calyx in fruiting, .F. calyx in flowering and gynoecium (bar 1 mm), G. corolla with anthers and faucal scales (bar 1 mm), H. erem (nutlet) in both side (bar 1 mm), I. SEM photos of nutlet attachment scar (bar 0.1 mm), J. basal leaf, K. stem leaf (bar 1 mm), from the holotype.

Myosotis persica Bidarlord, Akbarnejad & F. Ghahrem., sp. nov.  

 Diagnosis. Differs from M. koelzii, M. diminuta, and M. ramosissima by its dwarf habit, branched filiform ascending to prostrate stem, obovate to oblong leaves with patent to erect hairs, deeply lobed calyx with dense appressed straight hairs, and nutlets with marginally grooved areolae (Table 2).



Mahmoud Bidarlord, Bahareh Akbarnejad, Mehrshid Riahi, Ehsan Hoseini, Farrokh Ghahremaninejad. 2025. Myosotis persica (Boraginaceae), A New Species from alpine wetlands of NW Iran. Taiwania. 70(4); 585-590.  DOI: 10.6165/tai.2025.70.585


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