Piptatherum latifolium (Roshevitz) Nevski (1937: 336)

Memariani, Farshid, Joharchi, Mohammad Reza & Akhani, Hossein, 2016, Plant diversity of Ghorkhod Protected Area, NE Iran, Phytotaxa 249 (1), pp. 118-158 : 124-125

Piptatherum latifolium (Roshevitz) Nevski (1937: 336) . Figure 2f–g

Syn.: Oryzopsis latifolia Roshevitz (1934: 116) .

Material examined. IRAN. Northern part of GPA: Kastan , Zu-e Jannan valley, 37°28ʹ08ʺ N, 56°24ʹ51ʺ E, 1450–1500 m, 09.06.2011, Memariani & Arjmandi 44407 ( FUMH) ; Southeastern border of GPA: 3 km from Jowzak towards Chaman Bid , in Natural Resources Preserved Area , 37°25ʹ48ʺ N, 56°39ʹ24ʺ E, 1230–1300m, 09.06.2011, Memariani 43603 ( FUMH, hb. Akhani). Localities outside GPA: NW Bojnurd: northern slopes of Buzdaghi mountains, Cheshme- Golabi valley, 37°50ʹ50ʺ N, 56°42ʹ59ʺ E, 1000–1070m, 30.05.2007, Memariani & Zangooei 39084 ( FUMH) ; SW Bojnurd: Aladagh Mt. , Rein, western slopes of Tupal-Rayeh pass, 37°24ʹ07ʺ N, 57°02ʹ26ʺ E, 2015 m, 21.05.2006, Memariani & Zangooei 37690 ( FUMH) ; N Bojnurd : between Naveh and Qatlish, ca. 3 km on the bifurcation road towards Izman, 37°44ʹ35ʺ N, 57°26ʹ20ʺ E, 1200–1300 m, 17.06.2009, Memariani & Zangooei 43130 ( FUMH) .

Piptatherum latifolium was previously recorded from the Middle Asia ( Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan) and also from central Kopet Dagh in Turkmenistan, and N. Afghanistan ( Freitag 1975). The recorded localities from Ghorkhod and Buzdaghi are the westernmost areas of the distribution range of this species ( Figure 4 ). Piptatherum latifolium can be distinguished from the other related species by its wider leaf blades (6–15 mm) and spikelets that are clustered towards branch tips ( Clayton et al. 2002). It grows in relatively moist places on middle mountain slopes.

Figures

FIGURE 2. New plant records in their habitats; a–b: Allium transvestiens on gypsum foothills, c–d: Agropyron desertorum on disturbed slopes, e: Helictotrichon turcomanicum in high mountain steppes, f–g: Piptatherum latifolium in Paliurus spina-christi scrubs.

FIGURE 4. Distribution map of Piptatherum latifolium. The localities of Afghanistan and Tajikistan are redrawn from Freitag (1975) and those of Turkmenistan are partly from Nikitin & Gel’dikhanov (1988).