Cephalaria bojnordensis Ranjbar & Z. Ranjbar, 2015

Ranjbar, Massoud & Ranjbar, Zahra, 2015, Taxonomic notes on the Cephalaria sect. Atrocephalae (Caprifoliaceae) from Iran, Phytotaxa 217 (2), pp. 173-181 : 174-177

Cephalaria bojnordensis Ranjbar & Z. Ranjbar , sp. nov. ( Figs 1 and 2 )

Similar to Cephalaria microcephala , but differs in having: a single unbranched subglabrous stem, that is monocephalous and up to 75 cm high (vs. many puberulous stems with branches that are polycephalous and up to 120 cm high); a basal leaf undivided, 12 cm long, with six teeth in one side (vs. undivided to lyrate-pinnatisect, 14–16 cm long, lateral segments often 2–4, terminal segment with 3–4 teeth); middle leaf lyrate, up to 11.5 cm long (vs. lyrate lanceolate to pinnatilobed, up to 18 cm long); lateral segments of middle leaf up to 4.5 cm long (vs. up to 2.4 cm long); upper leaf absent (vs. upper leaf present, oblong, dentate or entire at margins); peduncle up to 55 cm long (vs. 20–32 cm long); involucral bracts tomentose, greenish-cream, blackish at apex (vs. velvety-hairy, purplish brown, straw-coloured on dorsal surface at base); receptacular bracts rhombic to angustate, straw-coloured on dorsal at base, blackish at apex (vs. triangular acute, straw-colour).

Type:— IRAN. Prov. Khorasan: SW Bojnord Reen, Topalraie village , 37º 29 ʹ N, 57º 02 ʹ E, 1950 – 2050 m, 7 June 2006, Memariani, Zangooei & Arjmandi 37924 (holotype FUMH!; isotype FUMH, photograph and fragment of plant in BASU) .

Perennial, erect, slender herbs, up to 75 cm high. Stem simple, unbranched, pubescent to approximately glabrous above. Leaves slightly coriaceous, pilose hairy on both surfaces. Lower leaves approximately entire, oblanceolate, ca. 12 × 2.4 cm, subacute at apex, serrate, with ca. six teeth on one side, 0.8–1.2 mm long; angle of teeth with reference to the midrib ca. 45º. Cauline leaves lyrate lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 12.5–13 × 0.8–1.5 cm, with 6 lateral segments; lateral segments linear-oblong, 1–4.5 × 0.2–0.7 cm, entire, acute at apex; terminal segment larger than lateral ones, lanceolate or oblong to lanceolate, 10.5–11.5 × 1.5–1.8 cm, acute at apex, serrate, with ca. six teeth in one side, 1–1.5 mm long, angle of teeth ca. 30º–45º; midrib of adaxial leaf lamina prominently raised but inconspicuous at end; secondary nerves not raised. Leaves not present at upper region of stem. Peduncle ca. 55 cm long, glabrous. Capitula globose or ovoid, ca. 2.2 cm in diameter in flower, subradiant. Involucral bracts in two series, ovate, 4.8–5 × 2.5–3 mm, obtuse at apex, green, blackish at apex, tomentose; hairs up to 2 mm long. Receptacular bracts in six series, rhombic to narrowly ovate to lanceolate, 6–9 × 3–4 mm; spine 1–1.5 mm long, blackish, straw-coloured at base on dorsal surface, acute or acuminate at apex (1–1.5 mm long), pilose or sericeous, ciliate at margins. Calyx cupuliform, 1–1.2 × 1.5 mm, pubescent, with irregular teeth 1–1.5 mm long. Corolla 10–12 mm long, yellow, densely covered with appressed hairs outside; stamens slightly longer than corolla; anthers deeply yellow. Involucel 2.5–3 × 1.5 mm in flower, 4-angled, hairy, with 4 long and 4 short teeth at apex; longer teeth 2–2.5 mm long, shorter teeth 0.5–1 mm long.

Etymology: —The specific epithet refers to Bojnord city, where the new species was found.

Additional specimens examined:— IRAN: Khorasan: Bojnord, between Meidan and Takht e Mirza village , 2 July 1986, Joharchi & Zangooei 14728 (FUMH!) ; Faruj 8 km to Oghaz Taze 37° 26 ʹ N – 58° 14 ʹ E, 1950–2050 m, 16 June 2009, Memariani & Zangooei 43095 (FUMH!) ; Faruj, Kuran Kordieh 37° 25 ʹ N – 58° 16 ʹ E, 1550–1575 m, 7 June 2009, Memariani & Zangooei 42895 (FUMH!) .

Distribution and habitat: — C. bojnordensis occurs in Bojnord (Reen) which is a mountainous region located on the north-facing slopes of central areas of the Aladagh Mountain Range in North province, north-east Iran. The area belongs phytogeographically to the Irano-Turanian are. The species grows in stony, gravel and rocky soils at an elevation of 1950–2050 m. Other plants that co-occur in the area are Oxytropis sojakii Vassilcz. , O. kopetdaghensis Gontsch. , Hedysarum kopetdaghi Boriss. , Klasea latifolia (Boiss.) L.Martins , Centaurea virgata Lam. , Alyssum linifolium Stephan ex Willd. , Poa bulbosa L. and Crataegus melanocarpa M.Bieb.

Relationships: — C. bojnordensis belongs to C. section Atrocephalae , which includes perennial taxa with lyrate leaves that are pinnatisect and serrate at the margins and receptacular bracts that are acute or acuminate and dark brown to black. C. bojnordensis is notable as it is the only single cauline species of C. section Atrocephalae in Iran. It is similar to C. microcephala in some characters such as the petiole length of basal leaf, middle leaf shape and number of segments or lobes, leaf margin, capitula size, involucel teeth, involucral bracts size and shape but differs in some important characters given above and in Table 1.

C. isaurica Matthews (1972: 31) ( Fig. 4 ), is endemic to Turkey (South Anatolia) with an interesting systematic position. It belongs to C. subg. Cephalaria sect. Leucocephalae in having entire leaves which are straw-coloured on the dorsal surface at the base and purplish brown involucral and receptacular bracts. On the other hand it shows similarity to C. bojnordensis which belongs to Cephalaria subg. Cephalaria sect. Atrocephalae because of the shape of the plant, unbranched stem, basal leaf dissection and a lack of upper leaves. These similarities are most probably as a result of convergence.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Cephalaria bojnordensis Ranjbar & Z. Ranjbar (Memariani, Zangooei & Arjmandi 37924, FUMH).

FIGURE 2. Cephalaria bojnordensis Ranjbar & Z. Ranjbar (Memariani, Zangooei & Arjmandi 37924, FUMH). A. capitulum. B. median cauline leaves. C. corolla. D. calyx. E. involucel. F.involucral bracts. G. Receptacular bracts.

FIGURE 4. Cephalaria isaurica Matthews (Davis 14468, E).