Gypsophila alvandica Falat., F. Ghahrem. & Assadi, 2015

Falatoury, Atiye Nejad, Assadi, Mostafa & Ghahremaninejad, Farrokh, 2015, A new species of Gypsophila (Caryophylloideae, Caryophyllaceae) from Iran, Phytotaxa 222 (4), pp. 276-282 : 277-279

Gypsophila alvandica Falat., F. Ghahrem. & Assadi , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1−2 ).

Type:— IRAN. Hamedan Province. Hamedan: Near Ganjname, 2100 m, 8 July 1981, Assadi & Mozaffarian 36774 (holotype TARI!).

Diagnosis:—Perennial herb. ± glandular-hairy especially above all nodes (not only above upper nodes). Stems few (not several), up to 5 mm in diameter, Leaves linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, acute or apiculate. Petals oblong with a shallow contraction in the middle, truncate to retuse (not cunneate), pink with purple veins (not cream or pale yellow). Ovules 8–16, Seeds orbicular-reniform, compressed, with flat tipped tubercles, about 1.0–1.3 × 1.0– 1.4 mm (not with obtuse tubercles about 1.5 × 2. mm).

Description:—Perennial. Stems few, up to 5 mm in diameter, branching throughout, erect, yellowish green, ± glandular-hairy especially above the nodes; Internodes 2.0– 8.5 cm long. Lower leaves 10–50 × 3–13mm, lanceolate to narrow lanceolate, narrowed at the base; upper leaves 7–20 × 1–7 mm, linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, acute or apiculate. Inflorescence lax, compound dichasial. Bracts 1–2 mm long, lanceolate, acuminate to caudate, scarious with a purple midrib. Axial pedicels 10–30 mm long; lateral pedicels 5–10 mm long. Calyx campanulate, 5-ribbed, 2.5–3.0 mm long, incised nearly to the middle; lobes ovate to ovate-lanceolate, acute to apiculate sometimes obtuse, green bands twice as broad as the scarious intervals sometimes with a purple shade, with crowded crystals especially in the scarious intervals. Petals 4.0– 5.5 mm long, oblong with a shallow contraction in the middle, truncate to sub retuse, pink with purple veins. Stamens 10, shorter to equal the petals. Ovary globose, with two styles with terminal stigmatic surface. Ovules 8–16. Capsule unilocular, globose, about 3 mm long, splitting into 4 valves. Seeds orbicular-reniform, compressed, with marginal hilum, about 1.0–1.3 × 1.0– 1.4 mm, with glossy surface. In terms of exomorphology, the surface of the seed is constructed of regularly polygonal to elangate cells with irregular dentate margins and convex periclinal walls.

Phenology: —Flowering and fruiting: May to July.

Etymology: —The specific epithet refers to Alvand Mountain in Hamedan province where the type specimen was found.

Taxonomical notes: — Gypsophila alvandica belongs to sect. Dichoglottis (Fischer & C.A.Mey (1835: 25) Boissier (1867: 536) by its lax inflorescence and long filiform pedicles. This species differs from G. polyclada Fenzl ex Boissier s.lat. [1867: 542; the lectotype (at W! image is availale at http://herbarium.univie.ac.at/database/detail. php?ID=403609) was designated by Barkoudah (1962: 144)] in having a lower number of stems, glandular-hairy lower internods, pink and oblong petals, 8–16 ovules and smaller seeds which have coated by polygonal testa cells with irregular dentate margins and convex periclinal walls ( Table 1). In both variety of G. polyclada [ var. polyclada and var. glandulosa Barkoudah (1962: 144) ] the seed surface is characterized in having regularly arranged elongate cells with sinuate margins and convex periclinal walls. The periclinal wall in both varieties shows many cylindrical protuberances and granules ( Fig. 4A–I ).

Pollen morphology: G. alvandica : Monade, apolar, rounded polyhedral, 25−27 μm Aperture pantoporate. Pores 2.00−2.25 μm in diameter, annulate. Distance between pores (without annulus) 2.5−4.0 μm. Annulus with granules, operculate. Ornamentation is nanoechinate-nanoperforate ( Fig. 4J, M ).

G. polyclada var. polyclada : Monade, apolar, spheroidal, 25−27 μm. Aperture pantoporate. Pores 2.3−2.7 μm. in diameter, annulate. Distance between pores (without annulus) 5−6 μm. Annulus with granules, operculate. Ornamentation is nanoechinate-nanoperforate ( Fig. 4K, N ).

G. polyclada var. glandulosa : Monade, apolar, spheroidal, 23−25 μm. Aperture pantoporate. Pores 2.8−3.0 μm. in diameter, annulate. Distance between pores (without annulus) 3.5−5.0 μm. Annulus with granules, operculate. Ornamentation is nanoechinate-nanoperforate ( Fig. 4L, O ).

Distribution and habitat: —The new species is endemic to west and central Iran ( Fig. 3 ) where grows on volcanic rocky slopes or sandy stony mountain, at 1980−2700 m a.s.l.

Additional specimens examined (Paratypes): — IRAN. Hamedan Province: Hamedan, Kuh-e Alvand , 2700m, 8 July 1981, Assadi & Mozaffarian 36814 ( TARI!) ; Hamedan, pass between Ganjname and Serkan , 2500–2700 m, 23 July 1995, Mozaffarian 74758 ( TARI!) ; Hamedan, 137 km from Hamedan on the road to Ghazvin , 2170 m, 18 July 1974, Assadi & Amini 13629 ( TARI!) ; Hamedan, Ekbatan Dam , 1980 m, 29 May 1972, Riazi 3817 ( TARI!) ; Hamedan, Kabudar-Ahang, Ghohord, Sarayjogh , Kuh-e Siah , 2000–2240 m, 8 June 1988, Mozaffarian 64636 ( TARI!) ; Haydarehe-Qazikhan village , 2300–2450 m, 15 June 2001, K. Safikhani, R. Kalvandi & Gh. Najafi 6099 ( TARI!) ; Above Darreh Moradbeig village, Right side, 2100–2400m, 25 June 1995, K. Safikhani, R. Kalvandi & A. R. Alidadi 1850 ( TARI!) ; 17 km. E. Hamadan, above Simin-e-Abaru Village, Kolahghazi Mountain , 2340–2500 m, 11 June 1997, K. Safikhani, R. Kalvandi & A. Ghamari 3009 ( TARI!) ; Hamadan, Ganjname to Kuh-e Alvand , 2150–2350m, 11 October 1977, Termeh & Matin 4616 ( IRAN!) ; Hamadan, 47 km NW. Malayer , 2050m, 8 June 1959, Pabot 1379 (4620/1, 2, 3 - IRAN!) ; Hamadan, Ganjname to Alvand , 2100–2550m, 12 June 1987, Termeh, Delghandi & Karavar 60315/1, 2 ( IRAN!) ; Hamadan, Abass-abad, Kuh-e Alvand, 2100–3300 m, 11 August 1974, Terme & Moussavi 60293 ( IRAN!). Lorestan province: inter Daram & Aligudarz, 12 km, 2250 m, 10 June 1974, Iranshahr 60298 ( IRAN!). Esfahan Province: Fereydoon-Shahr , Meydanak , 2500–2600 m, 7 August 1982, Nowroozi & Nekoui 1790 ( TARI!) ; Esfahan Province: Chadegan Havanirooz protected area, 2000 m, 11 July 1981, Nowroozi & Etemadi 1200 ( TARI!) ; Chadegan near the Havanirooz Protected area , 2100m, 3 June 1981, Nowroozi & Etemadi 623 ( TARI!) ; Chelgerd to Daran, Komilak , 2000m, 10 June 1973, Iranshahr & Moussavi 60362 ( IRAN!).— Markazi Province: ca. 15 km from Ashtian to Tafresh , Shahr-Ab village, 2100 m, 16 June 1984, Mozaffarian & Maassoumi 48118 ( TARI!) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Holotype of Gypsophila alvandica (TARI!).

FIGURE 2. Gypsophila alvandica. A) Complete flower in side view, B) petals, C) Fruit (capsule), D) Mature seed, E) Ovary and two styles. (photos from the holotype by A. Nejad Falatoury).

FIGURE 3. Distribution map of Gypsophiala alvandica in Iran.

FIGURE 4. Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) of pollen grain and seed in (A, B, C, J, M) Gypsophila alvandica, (D, E, F, K, N) Gypsophila polyclada var. polyclada and (G, H, I, L, O) Gypsophila polyclada var. glandulosa: (A, D, G) outline of the seeds. (B, E, H) close view of the seed surface from median part of the seed at the position between hilum and abfunicular side. (C, F, I) Detail of ornamentation of seed coat. (J, K, L) Pollen grain. (M, N, O) Detail of ornamentation.