Satureja kermanica Payandeh, Bordbar & Mirtadz., 2020

Bordbar, Firouzeh, Payandeh, Maryam & Mirtadzadini, Mansour, 2020, Satureja kermanica (Lamiaceae) a new species from south-east of Iran, inferred from molecular and morphological evidence, Phytotaxa 441 (2), pp. 183-194 : 190-191

Satureja kermanica Payandeh, Bordbar & Mirtadz. , sp. nov.

( Figs. 4 )

≡ Satureja bachtiarica non Bunge (1873: 37)

Type:— IRAN. SE, S of Kerman, Mt. Jupar, 29°59’11.3”N, 57°12’10.8”E, 2289 m, 21.X.2016, Mirtadzadini 1943 (holotype MIR!, isotype MIR!)

Description:— Suffruticose, aromatic perennial, woody at base, 50–100 cm high, stems many-branched from base to above, covered with white short antrorse hairs and sessile glands on young parts, light brown in basal parts and light green in young parts, length of lower internodes 15–35 mm, length of inflorescence internodes 10–25 mm. Leaves entire, sessile, recurved, folded longitudinally, cauline leaves mostly linear-narrow elliptic, rarely linear or narrow eliptic or oblanceolate, 10–25 mm long, 2.5–4 mm wide, blade tip obtuse or acute, covered with short hairs and sessile glands on both surfaces, floral leaves similar in shape to the cauline leaves, 1–1.5 mm long, 0.3–0.5 mm wide. Verticillasters lax, peduncle up to 1.5–3 mm, pedicel up to 1–2 mm, 2–6 flowers in verticillaster. Calyx green, 2- labiate, campanulate-tubular, covered with short hairs and sessile glands on the outside, glabrous inside, 3–3.5 mm, calyx tube 2–2.5 mm long, calyx teeth triangular, lower teeth 0.5–1 mm, upper teeth 0.5–0.8 mm. Corolla 6–7 mm long, corolla tube 4–5.5 mm, covered with hirsute indumentum, throat ciliate, corolla blade violet sometimes with dark violet spots, corolla tube whitish, upper lip shortly emarginate, lower lip with three subequal lobes. Stamens 4, exerted from the tube, the anterior pair longer, anterior stamens 5.5–7 mm and posterior stamens 5–6.5 mm, anthers violet, 0.5–0.7 mm long. Style exerted from the tube, 5.5–7 mm, branches equal. Nutlets elliptic, 1–1.5 mm long, 0.5–0.6 mm wide, ± smooth, light to dark brown.

Phenology:—The new species was observed flowering from September to October and fruiting from October to December.

Distribution, habitat and conservation status:—The new species is found in several locations of south-east Iran, in Kerman Province and geographically apart from other Satureja species. Most Satureja species usually grow on the rocky slopes ( Fig. 3A ), whereas S. kermanica is basically found in gravelly sediments of the seasonal streams, only rarely extending to rocky slopes ( Fig. 4A ). Its distribution pattern follows that of Irano-Turanian floristic region. The localities are parts of Central Iran plateau. This area has low precipitation with high seasonal and diurnal temperature oscillations ( Zohary, 1973). The locations are of mountainous areas in an altitude range from 2000 to 2700 m a.s.l. According to the Area of Occupancy (AOO) less than 30 km 2, this species is categorized as “Endangered” (EN) B2ac(ii+iii) ( IUCN, 2012).

Application:—This plant is highly aromatic known by local people for flavoring food. No uses were found for this plant in folk medicine from our field work.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Satureja bachtiarica. Photographs by M. Mirtadzadini. A) habit and habitat from the type locality, Mirtadzadini 1991 (MIR); B) close-up view of inflorescence, Mirtadzadini 1950 (MIR); C) close-up view of flower, Mirtadzadini 1967 (MIR).

FIGURE 4. Satureja kermanica sp. nov. from the type locality, Mirtadzadini 1943 (MIR). A) habit and habitat, B) close-up view of inflorescence, C) close-up view of flower. Photographs by M. Mirtadzadini.