Echinops ghoranus Rechinger (1974: 123)

Montazerolghaem, Somayeh, Rahiminejad, Mohammad Reza, Mozaffarian, Valiollah & Susanna, Alfonso, 2016, Taxonomic notes on the genus Echinops (Compositae, Cardueae-Echinopsinae) in Iran, Phytotaxa 263 (2), pp. 81-97 : 95-96

Echinops ghoranus Rechinger (1974: 123) .

Type:— AFGHANISTAN. Ghorat: In jugo Kotal Tang-i Azao prope Serai Dschaura (Djaoureh) inter Qala Chahrak (Shahrak) et Chisht (Tschischt), 2300 m, 4 August 1902, Rechinger 19165 ( W!).

Based on our observations in the W herbarium, the only Iranian specimen of this species (collection Rechinger 53567 W!) identified by Rechinger is a misidentification. This specimen differs from E. ghoranus by the following characters:1) the color of the upper and lower surfaces of leaves are entirely different in this specimen, in contrast to the same color of the upper and lower surfaces of leaves in E. ghoranus ( Fig. 10 ); 2) phyllaries are glabrous in E. ghoranus while they are slightly lanate in this specimen. Actually, this specimen belongs to E. heteromorphus Bunge (1863: 406) by the indumentum of stems, upper and lower leaves, different color of upper and lower surfaces of leaves, cornigerous heads, connation of innermost phyllaries into a coriaceous pentagonal tube, and slightly lanate phyllaries. For this reason E. ghoranus is excluded from the flora of Iran.

Specimens examined:— AFGHANISTAN. Ghorat: In jugo Kotal Tang-i Azao prope Serai Dschaura (Djaoureh) inter Qala Chahrak (Shahrak) et Chisht (Tschischt), 2300 m, 4 August 1902, Rechinger 19165 ( W!) ; IRAN. Khorassan: inter Gardaneh Perimus S Bojnurd and Esfarayen, 1700–1800 m, 15 June 1975, Rechinger 53567 ( W!) ; Persia : Khorasan: Prope Sabzevar, s.d. Bunge s.n .; Khorassan: Torbat-e Heydarieh, Kadkan, Bezgh , 1800–1900 m, 3 August 1999, Mozaffarian 79746, 79747 ( TARI!) ; Khorassan: 27 km from Sabzevar to Esfarayen , 1650 m, 27 July 2000, Mozaffarian 80429 ( TARI!) ; Khorassan: between Torbat-e Heydarieh and Robat-e Sang, Kame , 1800 m, 3 August 1999, Mozaffarian 79739, 79740 ( TARI!) ; Khorassan: Torbat-e Heydarieh, Kadkan, kuh-e Kadkan , 1900–2000 m, 28 July 2000, Mozaffarian 80443 ( TARI!) ; Khorassan: ca. 50 km NNE of Kashmar , 1900 m, 14 June 1981, Assadi & Mozaffarian 35804 ( TARI!) ; Khorassan: Torbat-e Heydarieh, Kuhhay-e Bezgh , 2000 m, 12 July 2000, Juharchi 80455 ( TARI!) ; Khorassan: Robat-e Sefid, Kuhhay-e Olang , 1900 m, 12 July 2000, Juharchi 80450 ( TARI!) ; Khorassan: ca. 55–60 km from Kashmar to Neishabour , between Chelpo and Ataeyeh, 1630 m, 4 August 1999, Mozaffarian 79751 ( TARI!) ; Khorassan: ca. 20 km from Sabzevar to Esfarayen , 1750 m, 27 August 1999, Mozaffarian 79761 ( TARI!) ; Khorassan: ca. 65 km from Mashhad toTorbat-e Heydarieh , 1750 m, 28 July 2000, Mozaffarian 80439 ( TARI!) ; Khorassan: 20 km from Sabzevar to Esfarayen , 1750 m, 4 August 1999, Mozaffarian 79761 ( TARI!) ; Khorassan: 9 km from Sabzevar to Esfarayen , 1150 m, 27 July 1999, Mozaffarian 80427 ( TARI!) ; Khorassan: Neishabour, Bezgh, Stayesh , 1800–2000 m, 21 August 1999, Mozaffarian & Maassoumi 78313 ( TARI!) ; Khorassan: Torbat-e Heydarieh, Robat-e Sefid , 1700 m, 12 July 2000, Jamzad 80422 ( TARI!) .

Figures

FIGURE 10. Specimen Rechinger 53567 (W!) misidentified by Rechinger as Echinops ghoranus.