Amberboa maroofii Negaresh, 2015

Negaresh, Kazem, 2015, Amberboa maroofii (Asteraceae, Cardueae-Centaureinae), a new species from Kurdistan, Iran, Phytotaxa 195 (2), pp. 171-177 : 172-176

Amberboa maroofii Negaresh , sp. nov. Figs. 1 , 2 .

Haec species Amberboae glaucae similis, sed planta 100–143 cm (nec 20–70 cm) alta, caule a basi ad superiore valde ramoso, ± dense tomentoso (nec simplici vel a superiore ramoso, sparse crispo), foliis inferioribus indivisis, margine serratis (nec dentatis vel pinnatis, interdum indivisis), involucro globoso vel ovoideo-globoso, 20–23(–25) × 18–25(–28) mm (nec ovoideo 10–18 × 13–18 mm), phyllariis dense tomentosis (nec laxe arachnoideo-tomentosis), achaeniis 5.5–6 mm (nec 3–4 mm) longis atque pappis 2.5–3 mm longis (nec 3–4 mm longis vix nullis) differt.

Type:— IRAN. Prov. Kurdistan: Bijar to Zanjan, 5 km to Binalou village, ca. 1600 m, 1 June 2001, Maroofi & Yosefi 796 (holotype HKS!, isotypes HKS!, herb. Negaresh!).

Biennials with thickened taproot, usually pale green all over; the first year only a rosette of leaves appears and the second year the flowering stems are developed, 100–143 cm tall. Stems 1 to 4(–5), erect or ascending near base, stout, up to 20 mm in diameter at the base, strongly branched from near base to the upper part; branches numerous, very long, unequal in length, striate, cylindrical, densely covered with short tomentose hairs. Leaves coriaceous, loosely covered with short crispy hairs, sometimes subglabrous. Rosette leaves 8–14 × 1–1.5 cm, entire, long-petiolate (petioles up to 8 cm long), oblong-lanceolate or oblanceolate, sometimes serrate. Lower cauline leaves 10–14 × 1–1.5 cm, entire, long-petiolate (petioles up to 7.5 cm long), oblanceolate, serrate. Median and upper cauline leaves (2–)5–15 × (1–)2– 4(–6) cm, with a short petiole up to 2(–3) cm long, pinnatifid, lyrate or pinnatilobate, in outline lanceolate or broadly lanceolate; uppermost leaves smaller; lobes lanceolate-triangular or narrowly lanceolate, 0.5–2.5(–3) cm long, 0.2–1.5 mm wide, margin entire or with 2–5(–7) acute teeth, sometimes irregularly dentate; terminal lobe somewhat wider. Capitula solitary at tops of stems and their lateral branches, on long leafless peduncles (up to 30 cm long). Involucres large, globose or ovoid-globose, truncate at base, 20–23(–25) × 18–25(–28) mm. Phyllaries multiseriate, coriaceous, imbricate, green or dark green (sometimes yellow-brownish when dry), ± densely tomentose. Outer phyllaries ovate, 4–6 × 3–4 mm, acute, with narrow brown or purple scarious margins, without appendages and with distinct Y-shaped nerves on margins. Middle phyllaries broadly ovate or oblong-ovate, 8–12 × 6–10 mm, acute or obtuse, with narrow brown or purple scarious margins, without appendages and with distinct Y-shaped nerves on margins. Inner phyllaries oblong, 14–16 × 6–8.5 mm, with quite large, rounded or orbicular appendages, brownish, caducous. Flowers pink, peripheral large, few, slightly longer than central ones, lobes weakly hairy in the middle or glabrous, with orange nerves, sterile, strongly radiant, with 10–15 very long (10–16 mm) lobes. Achenes oblong, weakly compressed laterally, ca. 5.5–6 × 1.5 mm, densely appressed hairy, truncate at apex, with a ± distinct toothed crown; hilum lateral, ca. 1.2–1.5 mm long, surrounded by light-coloured annular ridge, glabrous. Pappus persistent, whitish, bristle-like, shorter than achenes, 2.5–3 mm long.

Etymology:—The specific epithet is given in honour of the Iranian botanist Mr. Hosein Maroofi, who is in charge of the planning of the Flora of Iran and Director of the Herbarium of the Research Centre of Natural Resources of Kurdistan.

Phenology:—Flowering in April to June and fruiting in May to June.

Paratypes:— IRAN. Prov. Kurdistan: Bijar to Zanjan, 1400–1800 m, 10 June 2013, Negaresh & Asadbagy 100 (herb. Negaresh!, FUMH!) ; Kurdistan: Bijar to Zanjan, 1425 m, 14 June 2012, Negaresh 32964 ( BASU!) .

Distribution, habitat and ecology:— Amberboa maroofii is a rare endemic of W Iran. It is an Irano-Turanian element and grows on clay at elevations of 1400–1800 m. The flowers of A. maroofii are pollinated by some Lepidoptera and Scarabaeidae ( Figs. 2B and 2C ). Other plants that occurred with the new species were Anchusa italica, Avena sativa, Carthamus oxyacanthus , Cyanus depressus , Hordeum marinum , Phlomis olivieri , and species of Astragalus , Chenopodium , Cephalaria and Euphorbia .

Taxonomic and distributional remarks:—The new species is very interesting because it is the largest of all the Amberboa species in the world. The new species has potential as an ornamental plant, and after A. zanjanica it is the second endemic species of the genus in Iran. Amberboa maroofii is similar to A. glauca in the indumentum of its leaves and the color of its flowers, but it differs from the latter by some important characters listed in Table 1. The latter species is endemic to the Caucasus and Transcaucasia ( Ranjbar & Negaresh 2013).

Amberboa maroofii shares some characters such as the indumentum of leaves, the radiant flowers, the shape of achenes and pappus with A. sosnovskyi Iljin (1932: 114) , but differs from that species as stated in Table 1. Amberboa sosnovskyi occurs in Armenia, Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan and NW Iran ( Tzvelev 1963, Rechinger 1980, Ranjbar & Negaresh 2013). Amberboa maroofii occurs at elevations higher than 1400 m, whereas in Iran the A. sosnovskyi occurs at elevations lower than 1400 m. Furthermore, A. sosnovskyi is flowering from June to July and fruiting from July to August.

This species is also similar to A. moschata ( Linnaeus 1753: 909) Candolle (1838: 560) , from Turkey and Transcaucasia ( Tzvelev 1963, Wagenitz 1975), especially because of the shape of inner appendages, color of flowers, and number of lobes of peripheral flowers. However, it differs from A. moschata in some characters of its habit, dissection of leaves and shape and size of involucres ( Table 1).

In addition, A. maroofii shares some characters such as color of flowers, status of peripheral flowers rather than central flowers, and length of achenes and pappus with A. zanjanica , endemic to western Iran, but there are several differences that are listed in Table 1. Furthermore, A. zanjanica is flowering from May to June and fruiting from June to July ( Ranjbar & Negaresh 2013).

Chromosome number report:—My study showed that A. maroofii is a diploid species with the chromosome number of 2 n = 2 x = 32 ( Fig. 1C ), which is consistent with the known (or reported) basic number of x = 16 for the genus. This basic number of x = 16 is already known in other species of the genus ( Gupta & Gill 1981, 1989, Garcia-Jacas et al. 1998a, 1998b, Ranjbar & Negaresh 2013).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Amberboa maroofii Negaresh (Maroofi & Yosefi 796, HKS). A. stem indumentum. B. habit and habitat. C. metaphase plate (2n = 32). D. taproot. Scale B = 10 cm, C = 3 μm, D = 2 cm.

FIGURE 2. Amberboa maroofii Negaresh (Negaresh & Asadbagy 100, herb. Negaresh!). A. immature involucre. B and C. capitula with different pollinators. D. close-up of capitula (focused on peripheral flowers). E. inflorescence. F and G. close-up of phyllaries (indumentum and venation). Scale A = 2 cm, D = 1 cm, E = 5 cm.