Cephalaria microcephala Boissier (1856: 123)

Ranjbar, Massoud & Ranjbar, Zahra, 2017, A taxonomic revision of Cephalaria subgen. Cephalaria sect. Atrocephalae (Caprifoliaceae) from Iran, Phytotaxa 311 (2), pp. 101-138 : 117-118

10. Cephalaria microcephala Boissier (1856: 123) . Fig. 8.

Type:— IRAN. Prov. Tehran: in sloping hill of Dudera (Taleqan), Alborz in N Iran, 1 July 1843, Kotschy 422 (G-Boiss! [G00330273!], lectotype designated by Ranjbar & Ranjbar (2015: 177); isolectotypes G!, W!, E!, OXF!, WAG!) .

Perennial, erect, slender herbs. Stems 75–120 cm, many, consisting of 5–6 shoots, racemes many-branched, pubescent to rather glabrous, green-striate. Leaves slightly coriaceous, opposite, blades symmetrical, leaves grey-greenish when dried, surface pubescent to tomentose, hairy along the midvein and margins. Lower cauline leaves petiolate (1.5–2 cm long), simple or lyrate-pinnatisect, oblong-elliptic in outline, 12–14 × 2–3 cm, with 2–4 lateral segments; lateral segments linear-oblong, 1–1.5 × 0.2–0.5 cm, entire, acute at apex; terminal segment larger than lateral ones, oblong to lanceolate, 5.5–8.5 × 2–3 cm, acute to obtuse at apex, serrate to dentate, 6–8 teeth (apical side straight, basal side flexuous), angle of teeth with reference to the midrib 70º–90º, teeth 1–2 mm long, midvein flat adaxially, rounded abaxially, tertiary veins reticulate, oblique. Middle cauline leaves simple to lyrate or pinnatilobed, oblong-lanceolate to rhombic in outline, 3.5–5 × 1–1.5 cm, with 6–8 lateral segments; lateral segments linear-lanceolate, 1–3 × 0.5–1 cm, entire, acute at apex; terminal segment larger than lateral ones, oblong to lanceolate, 6–12.5 × 1–2 cm, acute at apex, dentate, rarely entire, 15–60 teeth (apical side straight, basal side concave to straight), angle of teeth ca. 45º–80º, teeth 0.5–2 mm long, midvein flat adaxially, rounded abaxially, tertiary veins reticulate, oblique. Upper cauline leaves undivided, oblong-lanceolate to spathulate and linear in outline, 2–10 × 0.5–2 cm, acute at apex, entire to weakly dentate, 1–2 teeth (apical side straight, basal side straight to concave or flexuous), angle of teeth with reference to the midrib none or 30º–70º, teeth 0.8–2 mm long, midvein impressed to flat adaxially, round-keeled abaxially, tertiary veins close together to reticulate. Peduncle 4–24 cm long, glabrous. Capitula globose or ovoid in flower, 1.5–2.2 × 1–1.5 cm in diameter in flower, subradiant, solitary, 1.5–2.2 × 1–1.5 cm in diameter in fruit. Involucral bracts in 1–2 series, ovate, 4–5 × 3–4 mm, brown and blackish at apex, tomentose hairs up to 1.5 mm long, obtuse at apex. Receptacular bracts in six series, rhombic to narrowly ovate to lanceolate and acuminate, 6–10 × 3–4 mm, spine 1–1.5 mm long, straw-brownish dorsally at base, blackish and abruptly acute or acuminate at apex, pilose or sericeous, ciliate at margins. Calyx cupuliform, 1–1.5 × 1.5 mm, dark green, pubescent, with irregular teeth 1–1.5 mm long. Corolla 10–11 mm long, yellow, densely covered with appressed hairs outside, stamens slightly longer than corolla, anthers deeply yellow. Involucel 2–2.5 × 1.5 mm in flower, 4-angled, hairy (hairs up to 0.2 mm long), 4 long and 4 short teeth at apex; long teeth ca. 2 mm long, short teeth ca. 0.5 mm long.

Chromosome numbers: — Cephalaria microcephala is said to be a diploid species with the base chromosome number of 2 n = 2 x = 36 ( Verlaque 1980: 46). It seems that this species is tetraploid because the basic chromosome numbers in Cephalaria are x = 5, 7 and 9. Thus, its ploidy level is 2 n = 4 x = 36, which is already known for other species of the section.

Additional specimens examined:— IRAN. Prov. Alborz Karaj to Chalus, Circhal, 2000 m, Dini 23831 ( TARI) ; Chalous to Karaj, 20 km to Karaj, tunnel-e Asava, 2013 Ranjbar 34726 ( BASU). Prov. Hamedan, Subashi, 2000 m, Ranjbar 34287 ( BASU). Prov. Khorasan-e Razavi, Mashhad, Zoshk mountain , 2013 Joharchi 45121 ( FUMH) ; Kalat, Gharesoo village , 1992 Faghihnia & Zangooei ( FUMH) ; E Neyshabur, Baghash village, 1996 Faghihnia & Zangooei ( FUMH). Prov. Khorasan-e Shomali, NW Shirvan, Gholhak village , 2001 Joharchi 33815 ( FUMH). Prov. Tehran, 40 km from N Karaj, 2000 m, Amin & Bazargan 19423 ( TARI) .

Taxonomic notes: — Cephalaria microcephala is a widespread species with no major threats known. Szabó (1940) included C. microcephala , C. subindivisa and C. sublanata in C. ser. Microcephalae. These species are slender perennial plants with a slightly branched stem, undivided or lyrate to pinnatipartite leaves (up to 4 segments) and pubescent to tomentose indumentum, but can be distinguished from each other in some characters such as plant height, shape and size of leaves, length of peduncle, involucral and receptacular bracts colour ( Table 4).

Distribution and habitat:— Cephalaria microcephala is distributed in Iran, Iraq and Turkey. It is widely distributed in Iran, especially from the west to the east and central parts of the country in Azerbaijan, Hamedan, Kurdestan, Zanjan, Esfahan, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad, Tehran, Golestan and Khorasan provinces. Within Iran, C. microcephala has been collected from elevations of 1500–2800 m. It grows in steppe areas, calcic rocky slopes and meadows. Cephalaria microcephala , Carex melanostachya and Elymus elongatiformis are the most dominant cooccuring species in alpine and subalpine meadows in steppe zones of the Golestan National Park in Golestan province ( Akhani 1998). Cephalaria microcephala and C. kotschyi are sympatric in the Alborz Mts.