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| Polygala guilanica Sarvi & Faghir in Sarvi, Faghir & Shavvon, 2021. Photos: A. Sarvi. |
Abstract
A new species, Polygala guilanica (Polygalaceae), is described from Kooh-Roubar, Gasht-Roodkhan protected area in W Guilan province, N Iran. The new species is distinguished based on its prostrate stem; small, lanceolate, ovate and rhombic, sessile leaves; tiny pink-white flowers in lax terminal racemes; 6 or 8 stamens with sessile anthers, a filiform style and brownish seed with 3-lobed caruncle. Detailed morphological description of the new species, photographs and distribution map are provided. Polygala guilanica is compared with the morphologically closest species: P. kurdica, P. hohenackeriana and P. anatolica. An updated identification key is provided for the Iranian species.
Keywords: endemic, Guilan, Iran, Polygala, taxonomy
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| Polygala guilanica Sarvi & Faghir in natural habitat (Kooh-Roubar, Guilan province, N Iran). (from locus classicus: Kooh-Roubar 3 July 2020. A. Sarvi 9001) Photos by A. Sarvi. |
Polygala guilanica Sarvi & Faghir, sp. nov.
(Polygala L. subgen. Polygala)
Diagnosis:—Polygala guilanica is similar to P. anatolica Boissier & Heldreich (1853: 57), but it differs by its prostrate and shorter stem, smaller flowers, smaller leaves, lax inflorescence, ciliated outer sepals and 3-lobed caruncle; it also differs from P. kurdica Townsend (1980: 184) by its anastomosing nerves of inner sepals, united filaments throughout their length, symmetrical capsule wings and its stipitate capsule. Moreover, it differs from P. hohenackeriana Fischer & Meyer in Fischer et al. (1838: 42) by its corolla and inner sepals color, outer sepals shape, inner sepals nerves pattern and seed shape.
Etymology:— Polygala guilanica refers to Guilan province in N Iran.
Distribution and ecology:— Hyrcanian region boasts substantial plant biodiversity. Considerable moisture from N Atlantic ocean, Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea to this region has caused a conspicuous area covered with miscellaneous endemics (Akhani et al. 2010). Polygala guilanica is a tiny prostrate, semi-alpine Hyrcanian element from the type locality in west of Guilan province, N Iran. Growing on limestone, dry stony mountain slopes and dry meadows at 1700-1800 m elev.
Ali Sarvi, Marzieh Beygom Faghir and Robabeh Shahi Shavvon. 2021. Polygala guilanica (Polygalaceae), A New Species from Guilan Province, N Iran. Phytotaxa. 513(2); 141-151.
