Cephalaria torbatejamensis Ranjbar & Z. Ranjbar, 2017

Ranjbar, Massoud & Ranjbar, Zahra, 2017, A taxonomic revision of Cephalaria subgen. Cephalaria sect. Atrocephalae (Caprifoliaceae) from Iran, Phytotaxa 311 (2), pp. 101-138 : 132-134

16. Cephalaria torbatejamensis Ranjbar & Z. Ranjbar , sp. nov.

Type:— IRAN. Prov. Khorasan-e Razavi: Bardu forest, Nasr Abad, near Torbat-e Jam, 35º 25 ʹ N, 60º 18 ʹ E, 1500–1600 m, 25 May 2003, Joharchi 34808 ( FUMH!, holotype). Fig. 18 .

Perennial plants, slender, erect. Stems up to 60 cm tall, many, branched, consisting of 2–3 racemes, rather glabrous or pubescent above. Leaves slightly coriaceous, opposite, blades symmetrical, leaves green when dried, pilose on abaxial surface or slightly hairy only along the midvein and margins. Lower cauline leaves simple or lyrate-pinnatisect, oblanceolate to oblong in outline, 4.5–11 × 0.7–1 cm, with 4 lateral segments, lateral segments linear-oblong, 0.8–2.2 × 0.2–0.5 cm, entire, acute at apex, terminal segment larger than lateral ones, oblanceolate to spathulate, acute to subacute at apex, serrate, 9–13 teeth (apical and basal sides straight), angle of teeth with reference to the midrib 80º–90º, teeth 1.5–3 mm long, midvein gently raised adaxially and sharply keeled abaxially, tertiary veins weakly percurrent, widely spaced, oblique. Middle cauline leaves lyrate, oblanceolate to oblong-lanceolate in outline, 6.5–14 × 1–1.5 cm, with 4–6 lateral segments, lateral segments linear-lanceolate, 1–2 × 0.5–1 cm, dentate to serrate, acute at apex, terminal segment larger than lateral ones, lanceolate or oblong to lanceolate, 5–9 × 1–1.5 cm, acute at apex, dentate, 12–16 teeth (apical side straight, basal side concave), angle of teeth ca. 80º–90º, teeth 1–1.5 mm long, midvein gently raised adaxially and sharply keeled abaxially, tertiary veins reticulate, oblique. Upper cauline leaves simple or lyrate, oblong lanceolate to linear in outline, 4.5–5 × 0.4–0.8 cm, with 2 lateral segments, lateral segments linear, 0.4–1 × 0.1–0.2 cm, entire, acute at apex, terminal segment larger than lateral ones, oblanceolate, acute at apex, entire to weakly serrate, 2–6 teeth (apical side straight, basal side concave), angle of teeth with reference to the midrib 30º–45º, teeth 0.5–1 mm long, midvein impressed to flat adaxially and round-keeled abaxially, tertiary veins close together. Peduncle 8–23 cm long, glabrous. Capitula globose or ovoid, 1–1.3 cm in diameter in flower, subradiant. Involucral bracts in one series, ovate, ca. 5 × 3 mm, green–brown and blackish at apex, tomentose hairs up to 2 mm long, obtuse at apex. Receptacular bracts in seven series, rhombic to narrowly ovate to lanceolate, 6–10 × 3–4 mm, spine 1–1.5 mm long, straw-coloured dorsally at base, purple blackish at 2/3 of the bract apex, abruptly acute or acuminate at apex, pilose or sericeous, ciliate at margins, inner bracts recurved at apex. 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 to light brown. 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; longer teeth ca. 2 mm long, shorter teeth ca. 0.5 mm long.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes):— Iran: Khorasan Razavi province, Dargaz city, Allah Akbar neck, 1650 m, Ayatollahi & Zangooei 15512 ( FUMH!) ; Iran: Khorasan Razavi province, S Mashhad, Mashhad to Moghan cave , 1800–2000 m, Joharchi 43054 ( FUMH!) .

Taxonomic notes: — Cephalaria torbatejamensis is similar to C. microcephala in dissection of lower and middle leaves, involucral bracts shape, colour of flower and appendages, and also size and shape of involucel, but differs in some important characters (see Table 4). Also, C. torbatejamensis differs from other related species of C. sect. Atrocephalae by having oblanceolate to oblong-lanceolate lower and middle cauline leaves, number and length of teeth median leaves, and involucral and receptacular bracts purple blackish at apex.

Distribution and habitat: — Cephalaria torbatejamensis is an Irano-Turanian element and rare endemic to NE Iran. It is known only from the mountain meadows, mountain steppe with grasses, thorn-cushions and corn field weed in the mountain zone around Bardu forest, Nasr Abad District, near Torbat-e Jam, Khorasan province NE Iran. This is a special region surrounded by Bardu Mts. with dry climate at elevations of 1500–1600 m.

Figures

FIGURE 18. A. Holotype of Cephalaria torbatejamensis Ranjbar & Z. Ranjbar (Joharchi 34808, FUMH!). B. Capitula. C. Middle leaf. D. Corolla. E. Calyx. F. Involucel. G. Involucral bracts. H. Receptacular bracts.