Linum turcomanicum Juzepczuk

Behroozian, Maryam, Vaezi, Jamil, Joharchi, Mohammad Reza & Memariani, Farshid, 2017, A new species of Linum (Linaceae) from Iran with a focus on description of Linum turcomanicum in view of morphological and molecular analyses, Phytotaxa 299 (2), pp. 151-168 : 164

Linum turcomanicum Juzepczuk in Shishkin (1949: 720) ( Fig. 5 ).

Type: — TURKMENISTAN. Massinev Mount, Androssov s.n.

Perennial. Stems 20–67 cm high, ± numerous, ascendens, in the upper half to the fourth branching, sterile stems many, rather densely leafy, with erect or spreading linear leaves. Leaves of flower-bearing shoots 5–25 mm long, 0.6–3 mm wide, spreading to erect, linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, margins slightly thin-denticulate and scabrous, rarely flat, involute, green or glaucescent in dry, lower leaves acute, rarely acuminate, upper leaves long-acuminate, 1–3-nerved. Inflorescence composed of rather few or many-flowered cymes; pedicels erect, short in flowering, long in fruiting, 10–25 mm, thin, straight or hardly recurved in fruit. Flowers 26–45 mm in diameter. Sepals glaucescent or pale green, darker in bud, the outer ones 4–6 mm long and 1.5–2.5 mm wide, ovate-elliptic, obtuse or acuminate, with narrow white-membranous margin, inner sepals 4.5–6.5 mm long and 3–4 mm wide, broadly ovate, rounded at apex, broadly white-membranous at margin, shortly mucronulate, dorsally with 3–5 prominent nerves below. Petals 13–22 mm long, 6–13 mm wide, obovate or broadly obovate, almost three times as long as sepals, cuneately tapering at base, obtuse or orbicular above, blue to pale blue, sometimes whitish blue, with yellowish claw, overlapping at margins. Stamens in long-styled forms (as styles in short-styled forms) 3–4.5 mm long, stamens in short-styled forms (as style in long-styled forms) 6.5–8 mm long, styles 4–5 or 6–7 mm long, respectively; anthers 1.2–2 mm long and 0.5–0.7 mm wide. Stigma capitate. Capsules 5.5–7.5 mm long and 5.5–7 mm wide, usually broadly ovoid, shortly mucronate at apex; yellow-straw, septa ciliate. Seeds 5–6 mm long and 2–2.5 mm wide, obliquely oblong-ovate, flattened, dark brown, shiny.

Specimens examined: — IRAN. NE Bojnurd, 21 km on road towards Gifan, 1000 m, N 35° 54’ 35”, E 57° 22’ 37.07”, Assadi & Maassuumi 50211 ( TARI). For the other specimens refer to table 1.

Distribution, habitats and conservation: — Linum turcomanicum was hitherto known from the type locality in Misinov (Massinev) Mount in Turkmenistan near the Iranian borders. So, this species is recorded here 69 years after its description from the type location in Turkmenistan. The type specimen is in early flowering stage; therefore, the original description of the species is partly incomplete and ambiguous especially in morphological characters of the fruits. The revision of the Linum specimens in FUMH revealed that this species is an endemic plant widely distributed throughout Khorassan-Kopet Dagh floristic province in northeastern Iran and southern Turkmenistan ( Fig. 1 ). In this work, after a comprehensive taxon sampling from the entire species range in northeast of Iran, the taxonomic description of L. turcomanicum was completed. Specimens collected near the type locality (45730-37 FUMH) grow in understory of Acer monspessulanum Linnaeus (1753: 105) shrubs in higher mountain slopes of Misinov Mt. However, the other populations, usually with few individuals, occur in a wide range of habitats and vegetation types from the moist mountain steppes in western parts of its distribution range (in North Khorassan province) to the dry gypsum and marl hills in the east (in Razavi Khorassan province).

L. turcomanicum was previously known as a Central Khorassan- Kopet Dagh (KK) endemic and evaluated as DD (Data Deficient) threat category ( Memariani et al. 2016b). However, according to the discovery of relatively wide distribution range throughout KK (omni-KK), the species is re-evaluated here as a non-threatened plant. The maximum distance between any pair of distribution point is 420 km and the calculated EOO is 38106 km 2. Based on IUCN criteria and categories, it is evaluated as NT (Near Threatened) and it is likely to be qualified for a threatened category in the near future.A reduction analysis by GeoCAT showed that the loss of the south-easternmost populations in Torbat-e Jam (34158 FUMH; Fig. 1 ) can reduce the EOO down to 19474 km 2 (49% reduction) and re-evaluate the threat status up to VU (Vulnerable). Therefore, conservation of the satellite populations of the species is of great importance to ensure protection of the genetic diversity across its distribution range with relative diverse habitats.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Geographical distribution of Linum khorassanicum (squares), L. turcomanicum (triangles) and L. austriacum (circles) in the region under study. The localities are based on herbarium records and also distribution data in Flora Iranica (Rechinger 1974).

FIGURE 5. A specimen of Linum turcomanicum collected from Misinov Mt. (near the type locality) in northeast of Iran (Joharchi & Behroozian 45130 (FUMH)).