Silene oxelmanii A. Gholipour, 2017

Gholipour, Abbas, 2017, Silene oxelmanii (Caryophyllaceae), a new species from Iran, Phytotaxa 303 (2), pp. 181-186 : 181-184

Silene oxelmanii A. Gholipour sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 – 3 ).

Type: — IRAN. Kohgiluyeh va Boyer Ahmad: Dehdasht, Sarfariab, Joukhaneh, kouh-e Nir, 2480m, 30°49 ′ N, 50°56 ′ E, 10 June 2011, Gholipour SPNH-5358 (holotype IRAN, isotypes TUH, TARI, Sari Payame Noor University).

Diagnosis: — Planta rhizomatus, basi semilignosus, tota tomentosa , 21–45 cm alta, folia basalia oblanceolata , 15–27 × 2–3 mm, folia caulina linearia– lanceolata , 15–30 × 1.5–2.0 mm, calyx cylindrico–clavatus, pedicelli 2.0– 2.5 mm longus, Semina 1.6 × 0.8–1.0 mm, reniformia, papillatus.

Description: —Rhizomatous perennial herb, gynodioecious, tomentose. Stems ascending, not much woody at the base, 21–45 cm tall. Basal leaves oblanceolate, 15–32 × 2–3 mm; apex acute, base attenuate; cauline leaves linear or linear-lanceolate (15–30 × 1.5–2.0 mm). Inflorescence thyrsoid; alar pedicel 2.0– 2.5 mm and lateral one shorter than 1 mm long. Bracts linear-lanceolate, herbaceous, up to 4 mm long. Calyx cylindric-clavate, 16–20 mm long, with 10 prominent nerves, parallel at the base and reticulate at apex, tomentose; teeth triangular, 1.5–2.0 mm long, acute, margin wide membranous, ciliate. Petals 5, yellowish; claw 7–8 mm long, glabrous, at the apex with conspicuous auricle; coronal scales oblong, up to 1 mm long; limb 4.5–5.5 mm long, divided up to 2.5–3.5 mm. Stamens 10, alternate stamens 10–11 mm long and epipetal stamens 8–9 mm long, inserted 1 mm from the base of petals. Anthophore 7–9 mm long, sparsely pubescent. Capsule ovate or ovate-oblong, 7–8 × 5 mm, included in the calyx when mature. Seeds reniform, 1.6 × 0.8–1.0 mm, light brown; lateral surface concave, dorsal surface flatted or low convex; testa cells elliptic–fusiform; papillate; denticulate at margin ( Figs. 1 – 3 ).

Etymology: —The new species is dedicated to the Professor Bengt Oxelman a well-known researcher of the genus Silene in the world and originator of Sileneae taxonomy and systematics group.

Distribution and ecology: — Silene oxelmanii is an Irano-Turanian element occurring only CW-Iran in Markazi, Isfahan and kohgyluyeh va Boyer Ahmad provinces ( Fig. 4). It is here considered as an endemic species from Iran. Plants of the species grow on scree of mountainous meadows from 2000 to 2600 m a.s.l. ( Fig. 2 A ). Flowering time is June–July, fruiting time July–August.

Taxonomic notes: — Silene oxelmanii is a perennial tomentose plant with thyrsoidal inflorescence and auriculated petals. Accordingly it can be placed in the sect. Auriculatae ( Melzheimer 1988). The circumscription of this section is however controversial, and based on the available data, it is an unnatural group and its members should be classified into different sections (Boissier 1867, Komarov & Shishkin 1936, Coode & Cullen 1966, Chowduri 1957, Oxelman et al. 2001, Gholipour & Sheidai 2009, Sheidai et al., 2010).

Among the species currently belonging to the Sect. Auriculatae , S. eriocalycina Boissier (1843: 28) is morphologically similar to S. oxelmanii . These two species differ each other in some vegetative and reproductive morphological features i.e. the plant habit, leaves, flower and fruit characters. S. oxelmanii is a rhizomatous plant with slightly woody at the base, while S. eriocalycina is a suffruticose plant ( Figs. 2A & 5A ). The basal leaves of S. eriocalycina are larger than those displayed by S. oxelmanii and the cauline leaves are linear or linear-lanceolate in S. oxelmanii (never linear or at least linear-oblanceolate in S. eriocalycina ) ( Table 1, Figs. 2 C, D & 5 B, C ). The length of calyx in S. oxelmanii is longer than S. eriocalycina and also the veins of calyx are more prominent in the latter species ( Table 1, Figs. 2F and 5E ). The calyx is tomentose with retrosely puberulent hairs in S. oxelmanii while calyx is woolly in S. eriocalycina . Another difference between two species concerns the capsule, which is included in calyx in S. oxelmanii , but it exerted from calyx in S. eriocalycina ( Table 1, Figs. 2G & 5F ). Moreover the two species differ by the length of pedicle and antophore ( Table 1). The seeds in S. oxelmanii are symmetrical reniform with 1.6 × 0.8–1.0 mm in size, not symmetrical-asymmetrical reniform and 2 × 1 mm in size as in S. eriocalycina ( Table 1, Fig. 3 ).

Specimens examined (paratypes): — Silene oxelmanii . IRAN. Isfahan: Tyran to damaneh, 18 km to Damaneh , 2460–2500 m, 33°00 ′ N, 50°37 ′ E, 26 June 2014, Gholipour s.n. (SPNH-3487!) ; Between Damaneh and Khansar, 15 km to Khansar , near Golestan kouh, 2625 m, 33°08 ′ N, 50°37 ′ E, 24 June 2016, Gholipour & Jadidi s.n. (SPNH-5062!) ; Markazi: Arak, Doab, Hesar , Rasvand Mountain , 2009 m, 34°00 ′ N, 49°17 ′ E, 13 June 2016, Jafari 45463 ( TUH!) .

Silene eriocalycina . IRAN. Fars: Shiraz, Dasht-e arjan to Kazeron road, Kotal-e pirezan, 2259 m, 29°33 ′ N, 51°56 ′ E, 14 May 2010, Gholipour & Khosravi s.n. (SPNH-1456!) ; Bamo national Park, Dodej, Cheshmeh fili, 2100 m, 29°41 ′ N, 52°38 ′ E, 13 May 2010, Gholipour & Khosravi s.n. (SPNH-1427!) ; Kuh-e Delu , 11 June 1842, Kotschy 489 ( G!) ; IRAQ. Mesopotamia , P. M. R. Aucher-Eloy 461 ( G!) ; Sulaimanyia (Kurdistan): Penjwin , 1500 m, 20 June 1957, Rechinger 10510 ( W!) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Silene oxelmanii (from the holotype, Gholipour, SPNH-5358). A. plant Habit, B. Basal leaf, C. Cauline leaf, D. Extended calyx, E. Flower without calyx, F. Open capsule (illustration by F. Rahimi). (Scale bar A= 2 cm, B, C, D, E, F= 1 cm).

FIGURE 2. Silene oxelmanii (Gholipour, SPNH-5358). A. Plant habit in natural habitat, B. Plant habit, C. Basal leaf, D. Cauline leaf, E. Inflorescence, F. Flower, G. Calyx in fruiting time, H. Capsule (photograps by A. Gholipour).

FIGURE 3. SEM micrographs of Seed morphology in Silene oxelmanii (SPNH-3487) (A–C), S. eriocalycina (SPNH-1456) (D–F). A, D. General view from lateral surface, B, E. Testa cells shape, C, F. Ventral surface.

FIGURE 5. Silene eriocalycina: A. Plant habit in natural habitat, B. Basal leaf, C. Cauline leaf, D. Inflorescence, E. Flower, F. Calyx in fruiting time, G. Capsule (photographs by A. Gholipour).