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| Cicer appozaicum Nazar Khan, Amir Sultan & Maesen in Khan, Sultan, Van Der Maesen, Qaiser & Ishaq, 2022. |
Abstract
Specimens of a native Cicer were collected from different localities in the Zhob district of Pakistan. It is described as a new species, Cicer appozaicum. It belongs to section Vicioides in the subgenus Viciastrum and is characterized by small flabellate leaflets, coiled simple tendril, very small triangular spinescent stipules often parted into two spinelets, a minute bract, large lilac flowers, rhomboid fruits, beaked rugose to tuberculate and granulose seeds and presence of glandular pubescence on the entire plant, except corolla. Illustrations and a distribution map of the new species are provided. The key to Cicer species in the Flora of Pakistan is amended.
Key words: Cicer appozaicum, Description, Zhob, Balochistan, Pakistan.
Cicer appozaicum Nazar Khan, Amir Sultan & Maesen sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Size and shape of flower and ovary, size of fruits and glandular hairs are similar to Cicer microphyllum but differs by the stem which is mostly flexuous, fewer and smaller size of leaflets, flabellate to orbicular leaflet shape, smaller triangular stipules comprising a single tooth or spinelet or often parted into two spinelets, linear to lanceolate calyx lobes, rhomboid fruits, rugose-granulose seed surface and more densely hairy vestituture.
Size and flabellate shape of leaflets and flexuous stem are also similar to Cicer mogoltavicum, but C. mogoltavicum has more numerous leaflets, slightly smaller corolla, stipules with many teeth, simple to ramified tendrils while C. appozaicum has fewer leaflets, larger corolla size, stipules comprising a single or two spinelets and simple tendrils.
Etymology: The species is named after the historic name of Zhob district ‘Appozai’.
Nazar Khan, Amir Sultan, L. J. G. Van Der Maesen, Muhammad Qaiser and Kamran Ishaq. 2022. Cicer appozaicum (Fabaceae): A New Species from Zhob (Balochistan, Pakistan). Pakistan Journal of Botany. 54(4); DOI: 10.30848/PJB2022-4(3)
