Alchemilla mazandarana Naqinezhad & S.E. Fröhner, 2017

Naqinezhad, Alireza, Fröhner, Sigurd E. & Esmailpoor, Ali, 2017, Alchemilla mazandarana (Rosaceae), a new species from high mountainous areas of the Hyrcanian relict region, N. Iran, Phytotaxa 331 (1), pp. 93-100 : 94-97

Alchemilla mazandarana Naqinezhad & S.E. Fröhner sp. nov. (Figs. 1 & 2)

Species e sectione Alpinae Buser ex Camus (1900: 440) series Sericeae Buser (1906: 6) .

FIGURE 1. Habit of Alchemilla mazandarana (holotype; 5504-HUMZ).

FIGURE 2. Different parts of Alchemilla mazandarana (holotype; 5504 - HUMZ); A. lowermost stipule of flowering stem without lamina, B. lowermost perfect cauline leaf, C. uppermost perfect cauline leaf, D. uppermost stipule without leaf lamina (i.e. stipulium), E. flower, F. basal leaf lamina.

Planta perennis, adulta intermedia. Axis basalis 3–5 mm in diametro, lignosus. Folia basalia ad insertionem 3-nervia, eorum petioli 0.7–1 mm crassi, dense appresseque sericati, intus (parenchyma) rubro attincti. Foliorum basalium stipulae 8–20 mm longae (= 8–10% longitudinis stirpium florentium), membranaceae, celeriter siccae et brunnescentes, apice acuto et dentibus 0–3 dentatae. Eorum dentium relatio longitudo: latitudo = 2. Stipularum auriculae 2–3.5 mm latae, eorum relatio longitudo: latitudo = 2–4, auriculae ad insertionem in petiolo non inter se conjunctae, se attingentes. Nervus auriculae basalis unicus; eius ramificationes nonnisi superiore in parte. Foliorum basalium lamina 1,5– 5 cm lata, reniformis ad orbicularis, 270–360° lata, digitate partita ad 53–100% radii in foliola 6–9 (plerumque 7) sive circulariobovata sive cuneato-obovata ad oblongo-elliptica, 30–70° lata, in apice rotundata ad truncata, crasse serrata, sed in basi per 2–10 mm (= 15–62% longitudinis) integra. Foliolorum terminalium relatio longitude: latitudo = 1–2.2. Dentes in lamina foliorum basalium 43–79 (plus minusve 60), in foliolo 5–13, dense stantes, (1) 1.5–4 (5) mm longi (= 7–27% radii laminae), 1–2 (3) mm lati, relatione longitudo: latitudo = 1–3, ab axi lobi divergentes, inter se fere paralleles. Dentes incurve trianguli ad lineari-oblongi, acuti. Dens apicalis vicinis suis fere aequus vel angustior. Lamina canoviridis, utraque dense ad densissime appresse sericata, pilis supra 15–75 in 1 mm x 1 mm, ad 5000 in 1 cm x 1 cm, infra pilis 60–300 in 1 mm x 1 mm. Stirpes florentes 8–35 cm longae (id est 1.5–3 x longitudo petioli longissimi), erectae, axi 0.7–1 mm in diametro, internodiis 3–8; flos terminalis 1–4 internodiis ramorum superatur. Stirpium florentium axis dense subappresseque sericatus, eorum folii maximi lamina 3–5-partita, laminae latitudo = 6–13% longitudinis stirpis. Synflorescentia 20–100- flora, 1–5 cm lata, eius latitudo = 5–33% longitudinis stirpis florentis. Stipulae folii caulini infimi recte erectae, tubum angustum formantes, sericeo pilosae, dentibus 1–4 instructae, eorum dentium longitudo usque ad 50% longitudinis ochreae, eorum relatio longitudo: latitudo = 1–3. Eae stipulae adaxialiter glabrae vel ad acumen plerumque sparsim pilosae. Foliolorum laminae folii completi supremi relatio longitudo: latitudo = 1.5–2. Folii completi supremi stipulae 3–9 mm longae, dentes in una stipula 2–5, incisi (14) 40–80% radii stipulae, eorum relatio longitudo: latitudo = 1–3. Stipulia incisa ad 50–70% radii. Florescentiae partiales laxe cymosae ad glomeratae. Monochasia 2–7–flora. Pedicelli dense sericati (pilis ad 250), 1–4 mm, in floribus terminalibus 2–5 mm longi. Flores flavo-virides ad flavi, 3–3.5 mm longi, 3–5 mm lati. Urceolus maturus globiformis ad pyriformis, eius relatio longitudo: latitudo = 1–1.4; urceolus in basi breviter acuminatus, sub sepalis paulo constrictus, dense sericatus. Sepalorum relatio longitudo: latitudo = 0.8–1.5, eorum longitudo = 80–100% longitudinis urceoli. Sepala in fructo divaricata, dense sericata. Episepala oblongo-ovata ad lineari-lanceolata, eorum relatio longitudo: latitudo = 2–5, eorum longitudo = 33–70% longitudinis urceoli et 30–83% eius sepalorum, eorum latitudo (7) 15–33% latitudinis sepalorum. Episepala subtus pilis 20–50 sericata. Disci torus incrassatus, angustior quam foramen usque ad aequilatus vel latior, intus dense pilosus. Filamenta 0.4–0.7 mm longa, 0.1–0.15 mm lata, e basi paulo latiori angustata vel aequilata. Carpellum 1. Achaenium acutum, breviter ad longius rostratum, 1.5–2 mm longum, glabrum, eius relatio longitudo: latitudo = 1.4–1.6, eius acumen discum superans 0–0.2 mm (= 0–13% longitudinis totalis).

Type:— IRAN: Mazandaran province: ca. 100 km south of Babol, Damilarz Mts. , on rocks, 2731 m a.s.l., 36º05’29” N, 52º39’58.6” E, 27 June 2016, A. Esmailpoor 7608 (holotype: HUMZ!; isotype: DR!) .

Dwarf shrub (pulvinate chamaephyte). Diameter of basal axis 3–5 mm (annual rings at least 4). Basal leaves 3-nerved at the base, petiole 0.7–1 mm thick, densely covered with appressed silky hairs. Basal leaves stipules 8–20 mm long, membranous, quickly becoming desiccated and brown, apex acute and 0–3 dentate, length/width ratio of teeth 2, auricle 2–3.5 mm wide, its length/width ratio 2–4, not connected to each other, auricle base one-nerved, vein branched only above. Basal leaves lamina 1.5–5 cm wide, reniform to orbicular, 270–360° wide, dissected digitately 53–100% of leaf radius. Lamina greyish green, densely to very densely appressed silky hairs on both sides, hairs on upper surface 15–75 in each 1mm 2 and 60–300 in each 1mm 2 in lower surface. Leaflets 6–9 (predominantly 7), either circular-obovate or cuneate-obovate to oblong-elliptic, 30–70° wide, rotundate to truncate at apex, grossly serrate at margin, leaflet base entire for 2–10 mm (15–62%), length/width ratio of terminal leaflet 1–2.2. Leaflet teeth 43–79 (± 60) on whole leaf lamina, 5–13 on each leaflet, (1) 1.5–4 (5) mm long (7–27 % of lamina), 1–2 (3) mm wide, length/width ratio 1–3, incurvedly triangular to linear-oblong, acute, along the axis diverging, apical teeth equal or narrower than adjacent teeth. Flowering stem 8–35 cm (1.5–3 as long as petiole length), erect, 0.7–1 mm diameter, 3–8 internodes, terminal flower overtopped by 1–4 internodes, covered by dense subappressed silky hairs. Synflorescence 20–100-flowered. Stipules of lowest complete cauline leaves erect, covered by silky hairs, stipule tubes narrow, teeth 1–4, at most 1/2 as long as ochrea, lamina trisected up to 1/4 of their length. Length/width ratio of uppermost perfect cauline leaves terminal leaflets 1.5–2, stipule 3–9 mm long, each stipule with 2–5 teeth, the length of teeth (14) 40– 80% stipule radius. Partial inflorescence lax cyme to glomerate. Monochasia 2–7 flowers, pedicels densely sericeous (ca. 250 hairs), 1–4 mm long, pedicel of terminal flowers 2–5 mm long. Flowers yellowish green to yellow, 3–3.5 mm long, 3–5 mm wide. Mature hypanthium globose to pear-shaped, length/width ratio 1–1.4, somewhat acuminate at base of hypanthium, densely silky hairy. Sepals as long as hypanthium or slightly shorter (80–100% of hypanthium length); at fruit time divaricate, densely covered by silky hairs. Length/width ratio of sepals 0.8-1.5. Episepals oblongovate to linear-lanceolate, length/width ratio 2–5, 33–70% of hypanthium length, 30–83% of sepal length, epicalyx width (7) 15–33% of sepal width. Episepal with 20–50 silky hairs on the lower side. Disc thickened, narrower, equal to wider than aperture, densely pilose inside. Filaments 0.4–0.7 mm long, 0.1–0.15 mm wide. Carpel 1, achene acute, rostrate, 1.5–2 mm long, glabrous, length/width ratio 1.4–1.6, inserted inside the hypanthium or shortly (up to 0.2 mm) overtopping the discus.

Further specimens examined (Paratypes): — IRAN: Mazandaran, Ghaemshahr, Pol-e Sefid region, south of Sangdeh village, relevé no. 288, on the basique substrate, in community of Saxifragetum iranicae Klein 1982, 2950 m a.s.l., 36º05’ N, 53º15’ E, 05 July 1973, J.C. Klein 4865 (G!) ; Mazandaran, ca. 100 km south of Babol, Otaghsi Mts. , on rocks, 2800 m a.s.l., 36º05’29” N, 52º39’35.3” E, 09 July 2013, A. Esmailpoor 5255 (HUMZ!) ; ibid, Damilarz Mts. , on rocks of forest-steppe ecotone, 2636 m a.s.l., 36º05’39.5” N, 52º38’49.1” E, 27 June 2014, A. Naqinezhad & A. Esmailpoor 5408 (HUMZ!) ; ibid, Damilarz Mts. , on rocks, 2731 m a.s.l., 36º05’29”N, 52º39’58.6”E, 02 July 2015, A. Esmailpoor 6201 (HUMZ!) ; Sari, Sangdeh, Kheru-Neru mountain, 35º 59’2.6” N, 53º12’48.4”E, 2700 m, 11 August 2016, A. Naqinezhad & H. Gholizadeh 7609 (HUMZ!). Mazandaran province: ca. 100 km south of Babol , Damilarz Mts. , on rocks, 2731 m a.s.l., 36º05’29”N, 52º39’58.6”E ibid, 01 July 2017, A. Esmailpoor 8100 (HUMZ!) .

Distribution and ecology:— Alchemilla mazandarana grows mainly on basic rocky cliffs and outcrops in the high montane grasslands and open woodlands (2636-2950 m a.s.l.) in the Central Hyrcanian region, N. Iran (Fig. 3). Two groups of populations of the new species were found. In the Damilarz area (western part), the new species was accompanied by Betula pendula Roth , Gypsophila aretioides Boiss. , Stachys nivea Labill. , Spiraea crenata L., Veronica gaubae Bornm. , Erysimum caespitosum DC. , Onobrychis cornuta (L.) Desv., Bromus cappadocicus Boiss. & Balansa , Saxifraga iranica Bornm. , Sempervivum iranicum Bornm & Gauba , Allium rubellum M.Bieb. , Sorbus aucupari a L., Silene schafta J.G.Gmel. ex Hohen. , Juniperus sabina L., Quercus macranthera Fisch. & C.A.Mey. ex Hohen. and Pyrola minor L. Moreover , in the Sangdeh region (eastern part), the new species was accompanied by Betula pendula , S. aucuparia L., Cotoneaster nummularius Fisch. & C.A.Mey. , Polystichum lonchitis (L.) Roth, Primula matthioli K.Richt. , Peucedanum hyrcanicum Gholizadeh, Naqinezhad & Mozaff. , Acer hyrcanum Fisch. & C.A.Mey. and Quercus macranthera Fisch. & C.A.Mey. ex Hohen. ( Gholizadeh et al. 2017).

FIGURE 3. Location of Alchemilla mazandarana in the high mountainous areas of the Hyrcanian region, N. Iran.

Etymology: —The specific epithet refers to the Mazandaran province, one of the Iranian provinces located in the Center of the Hyrcanian area, N. Iran.