Trigonella disperma Bornm. ex Vassilcz., Acta Inst. Bot. Acad. Sci. URSS. Ser.

Aghaahmadi, Majid, Saeidi, Hojjatollah & Assadi, Mostafa, 2018, Trigonella disperma (Fabaceae): Typification, Description and Phytogeography, Phytotaxa 348 (2), pp. 141-146 : 142-145

Trigonella disperma Bornm. ex Vassilcz., Acta Inst. Bot. Acad. Sci. URSS. Ser. 1, 10: 164 (1953) ( Fig. 1).

Type: — IRAN: Prov. Kermanshah: In montis Kuh Parrau , faucibus Nudschuhman , 7800’, 15 June 1906, Strauss s.n. (lectotype: JE! Barcode= JE00010365 designated here, isolectotype: JE!Barcode= JE00010364 ). Residual syntypes:— IRAN: Prov. Kermanshah ; Kuh Tarikha, Barcode = JE00010361 & JE00010362 , 11 May 1904, T. Strauss s.n. (image JE!) ; SE Kermanschah, in valle Dschamnasu, in quercetis ( Q. persica), Barcode = JE00010366 , 13 May 1904, T. Strauss s.n. (image JE!) ; Hamadan, Kuh Gerru, Barcode = JE00010359 , July 1903, T. Strauss s.n. (image JE!) ; Kuh Gerru, Barcode = JE00010363 , June 1902, T. Strauss s.n. (image JE!) .

Trigonella elliptica var. brachycarpa Bornm., Beih, Bot. Centrbl. 27, 2: 326 (1911).

Perennial herbs, 15–40(–47) cm tall. Caudex branched. Stems few, erect to ascending, branched at the base, slightly sulcate, loosely covered with appressed hairs 0.2–0.3 mm long. Stipules herbaceous, 2–4(–5.5) × 0.5–0.8 mm long, lanceolate to triangular, sparsely to loosely hairy. Leaves 6–12(–15) mm long; petiole 4–10 mm long, slender, loosely hairy, the middle petiolule longer than the laterals. Leaflets narrowly obovate to obovate, (4–)5–8(–13) × (2–) 4–8 mm, emarginate or rounded at apex, denticulate, densely to loosely covered with appressed white-villose hairs beneath, 0.3–0.5 mm long, glabrous above. Peduncles (2.5–)3–4.5(–7) cm long, covered with appressed hairs. Racemes with (3–)5–7(–10) flowers, with sparse white-villose hairs, apex aristate, 2–3 mm long. Pedicels 3–4 mm long, loosely covered with appressed white hairs. Calyx 4–5 mm long, campanulate, loosely covered with predominantly short appressed white-villose hairs, 0.3–0.5 mm long, at fruit stage ± maculate; teeth narrowly triangular to subulate, with short cilia (1.5–2 mm long) at margin. Corolla yellow. Standard 7–8.5(–10) × 5.5–7 mm, suborbicular, sometimes elliptic, widely rounded or emarginate at apex, angularly narrowed into a short cuneate claw. Wings 7.5–10.3 × 1.8–2.8 mm long; blades oblong, widely rounded or sometimes truncated at apex; auricle attenuate, 1–1.1 mm long. Keel 6.5– 8.5 × 3.5–4 mm long; blades obliquely narrowly oblong, obovate, with straight lower edge and concave upper edge, subacute or sometimes with a short notch at apex; claw ca. 2.5–3 mm long. Stamen tube obliquely or straightly cut at the mouth, 6–8 mm long. Ovary with a very short stipe up to 1 mm long, glabrous or sometimes with loosely appressed white hairs 7–9.5 mm long, with 8–10 ovules; style glabrous. Pods pendulous, (7–)9–12(–18) × (3–)3.5–5(–6) mm, elliptic or ovate, at apex narrowed into rounded tip or abruptly into acute and recurved beak, unilocular; dorsal wing 1–1.5 mm width; valves membranous green to straw-coloured, glabrous or rarely covered with short white hairs up to 0.5 mm long, with transversely thin nervures. Seeds 1–2(–3).

Nomenclatural notes:—Among eight specimens collected by Strauss, deposited in JE (as syntypes), the specimen (Barcode= JE 00010365) was selected as the lectotype because it is the most complete and matches the protologue.

Taxonomic remarks:—Species in the genus Trigonella , especially in the sect. Ellipticae , are delimited mainly based on legume characters. These characters showed high variability among the Iranian species of the sect. Ellipticae . Ranjbar et al. (2014) divided the species of the sect. Ellipticae in Iran into two groups based on the presence or absence of the dorsal wing on the legume. Trigonella disperma , T. latialata (Bornmüller) Vassilczenko (1953: 157) , T. teheranica , T. elliptica , T. yasujensis Ranjbar, Hajmoradi & Karamian (2012a: 280) and T. torbatejamensis Ranjbar (2012b: 29) , which have a dorsal wing on the legume, were included in one group. The shape and size of the legume, pattern of the venation on the sutures and number of seeds were used for species delimitation within this group ( Fig. 2 ). Number of the flowers in the inflorescence was considered as a diagnostic character to distinguish T. disperma from its closely similar species (up to 10 flowers in T. disperma vs. 3–5 flowers in T. elliptica and T. teheranica ) ( Rechinger 1984), but based on our observations, the number of flowers in inflorescence in these species sometimes overlaps. In T. elliptica up to 8 flowers and in T. teheranica up to 11 flowers in inflorescence can be seen, respectively. Therefore, this is not a good diagnostic character for T. disperma .

The shape and the size of the floral parts are other features that have been cited as diagnostic characters in the sect. Ellipticae ( Fig. 2 ). However, there is some variation in these characters ( Aghaahmadi et al. 2017). Only the size of the flower parts in T. elliptica is partly smaller than in the two closely related species ( T. teheranica and T. elliptica ). The shape of the floral parts is largely influenced by environmental conditions, and hence of less taxonomic value.

Selected specimens examined:— IRAN. T. disperma :— IRAN. Prov. Kermanshah: 23 Km before Songhor from Hamedan, 1400–1500 m, 26 May 2015, Negaresh & Assadbagi 100467 ( TARI!). Prov. Hamadan: Mahnian to Avaj, roadside, 2000–2100 m., 26 June 2014, Aghaahmadi 100627 ( TARI!) ; Assadabad, Forked road of Tuiserkan , 11 km to Valasjerd village , 2000–2550 m., 22 May 1999, Kalvandi & Najafi 16370 ( HUI!). Prov. Markazi: Arak, Khanemiran village , 2100–2300 m, 12 June 1984, Mozaffarian & Massoumi 47732 ( TARI!) ; Arak, Khane Miran village , 2180 m, 1 June 2016, Aghaahmadi 100463 ( TARI!) .

T. teheranica :— IRAN. Prov. Tehran: in declivibus septentrionem versus spectantibus m. Totschal , pr. Tehran, 16 July 1843, Kotschy 555 (images G-BOISS!, W!, WU!) ; jugi Elbursensis subalpinis ad basin septentr. alpium Totschal, prope Schehristanek , 5 May 1902, Bornmüller 6579 (image K!) ; 1 km from Fasham on Firuzkuh road, 1900 m, 27 June 1972, Amin & Mousavi 16841 ( TARI!) ; Jajrud , 1700 m, 22 July 1972, Dini & Azarm 16844 ( TARI!) ; Jajrud , 1700 m, 7 June 1972, Dini & Azarm 16869 ( TARI!) ; Latian Dam , 1900 m., 22 May 1972, Bazargan & Azarm 16876 ( TARI!) ; Hills of Jajroud, 1700 m, 19 June 1962, Pabot 29096 ( TARI!). Prov. Qazvin:Alamut, after Shahrak village, 1330 m, 21 June 2015, Aghaahmadi 100625 ( TARI!). Prov. Alborz: Taleghan, Dizan village 2500 m, 17 July 2015, Aghaahmadi 100626 ( TARI!) ; 3 km N Gachsar , 2320 m, 25 July 1960, Pabot 29087 ( TARI!) .

T. elliptica :— IRAN. Prov. Isfahan: Ghameshloo, protected area, Kuhe Senjed , 2200 m, 26 May 1996, Yousefi 1228 ( Payam Noor University of Najafabad !) ; Soh- 90 km NW Isfahan, prope Meymeh , 2400 m, 21 May 1982, Aryavand-Sahebi 4561 ( HUI!) ; 7km to Natanz at the Pass, N. 33, 33 - E. 51, 52,179 3 m, 13 June 2002, Assadi & Ranjbar 82764 ( TARI!) ; Semirom, Vanak-to Dalankuh, Shamsabad and Ghanat , 2200 m, 12 June 1984, Nouroozi & Bozorgi 3621 ( HUI!) ; Ghamsar, Kuhe Gheble, 1900–2250 m., 28 May 1982, Mozaffarian 42108 ( TARI!). Prov. Azarbayjan : 39 km NE Mianeh , 1000 m, 14 May 1960, Pabot 2842 ( TARI!). Prov. Ardabil: Khalkhal from Asalem before Shal, N. 37, 38 E. 48, 35, 1 June 2004, Assadi 86505 ( TARI!) ; Prov. Chaharmahal Bakhtiari: Between Shahrekord and Farrokhshahr , 2100–2300 m., 2 July 1983, Nouroozi 2756 ( HUI!) ; Shahrekord, Shalamzar, Aghasabz , 2400 m, 28 May 1986, Mozaffarian 54578 ( TARI!) ; Gandoman , 2100–2600 m., 14 May 1999, Jamzad 79957 ( TARI!) ; 12 km a Borujen versus Sefid Dasht, 2330–2700 m, Rechinger 47070 (image E!) .

Distribution and habitat:—We could not collect specimens from some localities cited in Flora Iranica under Trigonella disperma . It could be the result of misidentification of specimens or extinction of some populations. For example, specimen No. 47070 in the west of Iran, which was collected and recognized by Rechinger (1984) as T. disperma , is more likely to be T. elliptica based on the shape and size of the pods. In the present study, collecting and studying specimens of T. disperma from many localities improved our knowledge of geographical distribution, habitat and ecological adaptability of this species. Trigonella disperma grows at elevations of 1200–2550 m along the Zagros Mountains in the west of Iran ( Fig. 3 ). Roadsides and destroyed areas are favoured by many species in sect. Ellipticae , especially T. disperma , and this species can be regarded as a pioneer species in the ecological succession of destroyed areas.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Trigonella disperma Bornm. ex Vassilcz.(Negaresh 100467, TARI;Aghaahmadi 100463, TARI).A. and B. legume, C. leaflet, D. standard, E and F. wing, G. keel, H. stamen tube and I. pistil (Drawn by Maryam Nobakht).

FIGURE 3. Distribution map of T. disperma in Iran. Circles indicate the localities of specimens evaluated in this study and rectangles indicate localities cited in Flora Iranica.