Astragalus jaldiyanensis Ranjbar, 2010

Ranjbar, Massoud, 2010, Taxonomic notes on the genus Astragalus (Fabaceae) in Iran, with the description of a new species, Phytotaxa 7, pp. 46-51 : 47

Astragalus jaldiyanensis Ranjbar , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 )

Differt ab Astragalo assadabadensi plantis 15–18 (nec ad 25) cm altis, stipulis 13−16 (nec ad 20) mm longis, bracteis 7– 12 × 4–8 (nec 14–18 × 7–10) mm, foliis 3.5–5 (nec ad 10) cm longis, foliolis 8–9 (nec 4–5)-jugis, 6–8 × 1.5–2 (nec 15– 25 × 2–2.5) mm, pedunculis 7–9 (nec ca. 5) cm longis, petalis albis (nec flavis), vexillo 13–15 (nec ca. 18) mm longis, alis 14–15 et carina 12–13 (nec alis ca. 18 et carina ca. 16) mm longis.

Type:— IRAN: Azarbaijan Garbi : Naqadeh to Oshnavieh , after Jaldiyan neck, before Piranshahr bifurcation, 1565 m, 26 June 2009, M . Ranjbar & A . Assadi 17602 (holotype BASU!, isotypes FUMH!, MO!, TARI!, W!) .

Plants suffruticose, acaulescent, caespitose, spiny, 15–22 cm tall. Stems in the older parts ligneous, very short, up to 7 mm in diameter, covered by grey blackish bark and with remnants of old leaves; parts of the current year distinct, 1–1.5 cm. Stipules papery-membranous, 13–16 mm long, triangular to narrowly triangular, with longitudinal nerves, adnate to the petiole for 5–6 mm, shortly connate behind the stem, densely to sparsely ciliate at the margins. Leaves 3.5–5 cm; petiole 0.5–1.2 cm, like the rachis densely covered by appressed to subappressed hairs of 0.3–0.8 mm. Leaflets in 8–9 pairs, narrowly elliptic, 6–8 × 1.5– 2 mm, acuminate to acute, with a pungent tip 0.5–1 mm, on both sides densely covered by appressed hairs of 0.3–0.5 mm. Peduncles 7–9 cm, densely covered by appressed to subappressed hairs 0.3–0.7 mm. Racemes globose to ovoid, 4–6 × 1–1.5 cm, densely 30-flowered. Bracts ascending, straw-coloured, widely ovate, acute to acuminate, 8–12 × 4–8 mm, sparsely to rarely loosely hairy. Calyx spherical-ovoid, 14–16 mm, strawcoloured, densely covered by spreading hairs of 1.5–2 mm; teeth linear to lanceolate, 4–6 mm. Standard 13– 15 mm; limb 4–4.5 mm wide, obovate, rounded at apex, slightly constricted below the middle, subabruptly contracted. Wings 14–15 mm; limbs oblong, rounded, 5–6 × 2–3 mm; auricle minute, claw 7–8 mm. Keel 12– 13 mm; limbs obliquely obovate, with in upper part widely, nearly rectangular curved lower edge and slightly curved upper edge, subacute, 4–5 × ca. 2.5 mm; auricle indistinct, claw 7–8 mm. Ovary sessile, densely covered by hairs. Pods unknown.

Etymology:—The species is named after the Jaldiyan village, in Azarbaijan Garbi Province, Iran.

Paratype:— IRAN: Azarbaijan Garbi : around Oshnavieh, 1520 m, 16.4.2007, M . Ranjbar & A . Assadi 16812 ( BASU!) .

Astragalus jaldiyanensis is a rare and local endemic species in northwest Iran and known only from two collections with specimens collected from a single locality. It occurs in a dry steppe in the mountainous region near Oshnaviyeh, south Urumieh in Azarbaijan Garbi Province ( Fig. 2 ). It is closely related to A. assadabadensis In both species the calyx is tubular during anthesis and slightly inflated with the size of 14–17 × ca. 4 mm. However, they are different in the number and size of leaflets, and also in the lengths of standard, wing, keel and peduncle ( Table 1 ). The type material of A. assadabadensis has been available to me at FAR, and the species was also observed in the field. Astragalus chrysostachys , also of A. sect. Hymenostegis , is the second species closely related species to A. jaldiyanensis ; it favours submontainous regions with relatively dry and windy conditions. The type material of A. chrysostachys has been available for study by me at W. Several populations of the species were also observed in the field. The new species shows morphological similarities with A. chrysostachys in the size of racemes, calyx and calyx teeth. However, they differ from each other mainly in the color of corolla, length of standard, wing and keel, calyx indument and also in the shape of the inflorescence. In A. chrysostachys , the standard, wing and keel are mostly longer than those in A. assadabadensis .

Figures

FIGURE 1. A. jaldiyanensis. A. Close up of the white flowers, Ranjbar & Assadi 17602 (Photo M. Ranjbar). B. Close up of the inflorescences. C. View of the caespitose habit.

FIGURE 2. Distribution of A. jaldiyanensis in Iran.