Rhamnus kurdica Boiss. & Hohen., 1843

Alijanpoor, Behnaz, Khodayari, Hamed, Assadi, Mostafa, Rahiminejad, Mohammadreza & Mehregan, Iraj, 2021, A taxonomic revision of Rhamnus L. and Atadinus Raf. (Rhamnaceae) in Iran, Phytotaxa 521 (3), pp. 127-158 : 146

5. Rhamnus kurdica Boiss. & Hohen. in Boissier (1843: 3).

Typus — IRAQ. Mosul : In rupestribus septentrionem versus setis in cacumen Chiya-e Gara, Kotschy 336 ( H) .

Description —Shrubs erect and spreading on rocks, 30–200 cm high. Stems grey, greyish brown; with low to medium dense spines. Spines simple and rarely branched, 0.5–8 cm long, grey or brown, greyish brown and red (when young), alternate and rarely opposite, with grey long lines. Branches with few spines, two types of branches: long branches pubescent, low to medium density, mainly alternate and rarely opposite, the angles between branches acute, straight, rarely obtuse; rarely with parallel branches; short (scaly) branches bearing flowers, fruits or fasciculate leaves at the end. Leaves 5–30 × 3–12 mm, pubescent, herbaceous to membraneus, thin (thicker in fruiting plants), dimorphic (elliptic, obovoid) and rarely cordate in each specimen, alternate or fasciculate on short branches, silver green and rarely green, medium density; base of leaves cuneate or rounded; apex of leaves mostly obtuse and rarely acute; with 6–11 pairs of teeth at the margin (rarely 2–6) pairs or absent; gland teeth present or absent; lateral nerves 3–6 pairs, conspicuous, curved or straight; lateral nerves and main vein green in flowering and cream to brown in maturing fruits, alternate or opposite; petioles sometimes pubescent, unequal in each node, 2–6(–10) mm long and mostly smaller than peduncles. Inflorescence fasciculate. Flowers bisexual and rarely with sterile female flowers, 2–3 mm long, in leaves axis; calyx campanulate, without gland, 3 mm long; lobes 2 mm long, acute; petals linear, 2 mm, opposite to filaments; disk very small; ovary with 2–3(–4) locular and with 2–3(–4) styls; peduncles unequal in each node, 2-8 mm long, equaling, longer or rarely shorter than the petioles. Fruits a fleshy spherical drupe, 3-4 mm long, mature fruits bright red, immature green or yellow, with 2–3(–4) seeds, with not fully developed seed and with 2–3(–4) deep and rarely closed furrows. Sseeds 3 mm long, with one split.

Habitat and distribution — Endemic in IRAN and TURKEY. It is an Irano-Turanian element in W Iran at an altitude of 1000–1600 m, between 40° and 46° E and between 34° and 37° N, on E slopes of rocks and rarely cliffs .

Phenology —Flowering is in late May, fruits and seeds maturie in September.

Examined specimens—Azarbayjan (w): From Urmia towards Oshnavieh, Darreh-ye Qasemlu , Darreh Khan , Southern slope, rocky habitat, 45°06ʹ53ʺ E, 37°18ʹ38ʺ N, 1600 m, 29 May 2017, Alijanpoor & Mirzaloo s.n. ( TARI 103895 !) ; Ad ripas occidentals lacum Urmia , 1400 m, Gauba & Sabeti s.n. ( W 08330!) ; Bakhtiari: Cahar , 7000 ft., 28 May 1941 s.n. ( W 104 !) ; 13 km S. Dorahum , 1870 m, 09 July 1959, Henri Pabot s.n. ( W 2303 ) ; Lardgan, Gausheki, 21 km of Lordgan , 1700 m, 05 June 1973, Iranshahr et Moussavi s.n. ( IRAN 15628 !) ; Naghour to Dopolan , 1800 m, 06 June 1973, Moussavi & Iranshahr s.n. ( IRAN 74486 !) ; Fars: Tole Khosrow Sissaklit, 19 Desember 1949, Bohbougi s.n. ( W 08281!) ; Kermanshah: From Eslam Abad towards Gahvareh , ca. 15 km to Chenar village , Nouth Easternern and South Western slope, habitat rocky and rarely pasture, 46°27ʹ07ʺ N, 34°13ʹ04ʺ E, 1490 m, 21 May 2017, Alijanpoor & Karimi s.n. ( TARI 103869 !) , From Ilam towards Kermanshah, Goaver road, Gholi Gholi village , On the Mts. , habitat rocky, 40°04ʹ02ʺ E, 34°22ʹ47ʺ N, 1010 m, 21 May 2017, Alijanpoor & Karimi s.n. ( TARI 103867 !) ; Qasr Shirin , 12 June 1951, Sharif, Browicz & Zielinski s.n. ( IRAN 35654 !) ; Qasre Shirin , 12 June 1951, Browicz & Zielinski s.n. ( IRAN 74484 !) ; Rijab , 24 July 1967, Iranshahr & Termeh s.n. ( IRAN 35650 !, 74483!) ; Kuhkiliyeh and Boiyer Ahmad: 30 km E Tanghe Pirzan , 1000–1400 m, Assadi & Abohamze s.n. ( TARI 46554 !) ; 85 km Yasoj be Jade Dehdasht , 2100 m, Assadi & Abohamze s.n. ( TARI 46449 !) ; Kohkiluyeh: 12 km Tol Chegha to Dehdasht , 02 September 1959, Pabot s.n. ( IRAN 35651 !) ; Tal Khosravi to Sisakht , 29 July 1947, Behboudi s.n. ( IRAN 35649 !) ; Kurdistan: Paveh , 1700 m, Fattahi & Hatami s.n. ( TARI 2172 !) ; N Kurdistan 1590 m, 15 October 1960, Henri Pabot s.n. ( W 5471 ) ; From Sanandaj toward Marivan, Fork road Hezbolla (16 Km before Marivan ), Darband-e Dezli , ca. 4 Km before Dezli village , on the Mts. , Northern –Eastern slope, mostly rocky, cliff habitat, 46°10ʹ19ʺ E, 35°22ʹ13ʺ N, 1340 m, 24 May 2017, Alijanpoor & Sabzi s.n. ( TARI 103861 !) ; Zanjan: In delivibusargillosis 52 km SW Zanjan versus Bijar , 1700 m, 30 Agust 1971, K. H. Rechinger ( TARI) ; Lorestan: Sabeti , Browicz & Zielinski s.n. ( IRAN 35652 !) ; IRAQ. Erbill (Kurdistan), in fissuris rupius calc. Faucium in fra Rovanduz , ca. 700 m, 06 Agu 1957., K. H. Rechinger s.n. ( G 11240!, W 182446 !) ; Mosul (Kurdistan), ad confines Turciae prov. Hakari, inter Dohuk et Amadiya , 10-12 July 1967, K. H. Rechinger 11622 ( G 182445 !) Inter Musul et Zakho , 02 July 1957, K. H. Rechinger 10658 ( G 182443 !) ; TURKEY. 09 Hakkari, Qukurca , 1200 m, 12 June 1966, Davis 44764, Herbarium Dr. A. Huber- Morath ( W!) ; Kurdistan Assyriaca, inter Erbil et Riwandona , 17 June 1898, 800 m, J. Bornmuler s.n. ( W 1785 !)