Cephalaria integerrima (Bornmüller) Ranjbar & Z. Ranjbar

Ranjbar, Massoud & Ranjbar, Zahra, 2017, A taxonomic revision of Cephalaria subgen. Cephalaria sect. Atrocephalae (Caprifoliaceae) from Iran, Phytotaxa 311 (2), pp. 101-138 : 113

6. Cephalaria integerrima (Bornmüller) Ranjbar & Z. Ranjbar , comb. & stat. nov. Cephalaria microcephala var.

integerrima Bornmüller (1911: 244) .

Type:— IRAN. Prov. Markazi: Arak, Shazand, Rasvand [Raswend] mountain, 26 March 1903, J. Bornmüller s.n. (B! [B100244791!], lectotype designated here). Fig. 6 .

Perennial, erect, slender. Stem up to ca. 80 cm high, single, few-branched, consisting of 1–2 racemes, rather glabrous, striate in lower and middle part (thinly white to purple striate). Leaves slightly coriaceous, opposite, blades symmetrical, leaves green when dried, surface rather glabrous. Lower cauline leaves sessile; simple, oblong-lanceolate in outline, 10–12.5 × 2–2.5 cm, acute at apex, entire, midvein gently raised adaxially, rounded abaxially, tertiary veins reticulate, oblique. Middle cauline leaves simple oblong-lanceolate in outline, 6–13.5 × 1–2 cm, entire, acute at apex; midvein flat adaxially, sharply keeled abaxially, tertiary veins reticulate, oblique. Upper cauline leaves simple, oblong-lanceolate to linear in outline, 5–5.5 × 0.2–0.3 cm, acute at apex, entire midvein impressed to flat adaxially, sharply keeled abaxially, tertiary veins reticulate, close together. Peduncle 1.5–18 cm long, glabrous. Capitula 1–2.1 × 1–1.5 cm in diameter in flower, subradiant, 1.5–2.5 × 1–1.5 cm in diameter in fruit. Involucral bracts in one series, ovate, ca. 3.5–4 × 4–4.5 mm, straw-coloured with purple nerves, pubescent, hairs up to 0.5 mm long, obtuse at apex. Receptacular bracts in five series, rhombic to narrowly ovate to lanceolate ca. 6 × 3–4 mm, straw-coloured with purple nerves and abruptly acute or acuminate at apex, pilose or sericeous, ciliate at margins. Calyx cupuliform, 1–1.5 × 1.5 mm, dark green, pubescent, with irregular teeth 1–1.5 mm long. Corolla 10–11 mm long, yellow, densely covered with appressed hairs outside, stamens slightly longer than corolla, anthers deeply yellow. Involucel 2–2.5 × 1.5 mm in flower, 4-angled, hairy (hairs up to 0.2 mm long), 4 long and 4 short teeth at apex; long teeth ca. 2 mm long, short teeth ca. 0.5 mm long.

Additional specimens examined:—Only known from the type collection.

Distribution and habitat: — Cephalaria integerrima is a rare endemic to central Iran and is known only from the mountainous areas around Arak in Shazand. Rasvand Mt. is a special place in Arak province which includes many endemic species.

Taxonomic notes:— Cephalaria integerrima is similar to C. microcephala in some characters such as middle cauline leaves shape and tertiary veins, involucel teeth, size of flower, shape of involucral and receptacular bracts. However C. integerrima differs by its undivided and entire leaves (vs. lyrate-pinnatisect and dentate), involucral bracts straw-coloured with purple nerves (vs. straw-coloured with brown nerves) and receptacular bracts straw-coloured with purple nerves (vs. straw). Furthermore, it differs from other related species as is described in Table 4.

Nomenclatural notes: —The original description and diagnosis of Cephalaria microcephala var. integerrima was written by Bornmüller (1911) on the basis of a specimen collected by Th. Strauss from Markazi province of Iran. The original material of this taxon is present today in JE (JE00013780) and B (B100244791). In Flora Iranica ( Lack 1991) there is no typification for C. microcephala var. integerrima , but the type specimens were annotated in collections by Lack (he considered them as C. microcephala ). The B specimen (B100244791) is perfect and matches with details of the protologue. Therefore, this specimen is designated here as the lectotype of C. integerrima .

Figures

FIGURE 6. Lectotype of Cephalaria integerrima Bornm. (Bornmüller s.n., B! [B100244791]).