Onobrychis patula Ranjbar, Joharchi & Karamian, 2012

Ranjbar, Massoud, Karamian, Roya, Hadadi, Anahita & Joharchi, Mohammadreza, 2012, Taxonomic notes on Onobrychis sect. Onobrychis subsect. Macropterae (Fabaceae) from Iran, Phytotaxa 39, pp. 51-60 : 52-53

Onobrychis patula Ranjbar, Joharchi & Karamian , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 & 2 )

Differt ab Onobrychide verae indumento pilis patentibus tantum consistente (nec partim pilis appressis consistente), foliolis supera laxe subappresse vel patenter pilosis, subtus dense subappresse vel patenters pilosis (nec utrinque dense appresse pilosis), calyce ca. 5 (nec 6−7) mm longo, laxe appresse piloso (nec sparse appresse piloso), alis 6.6−7 (nec 7−8) mm longis, leguminibus 6−7 (nec 4−5) mm longis.

Type:— IRAN. Prov. Khorasan: Ghouchan, north Amarat , 2000 m, 15 July 1997, Zangooie 29706 (holotype FUMH!, isotype BASU!, photo and a fragment TARI!, W!) .

Ascending-erect perennial with thick woody rootstock, up to 35 cm tall, branched at the base. Indumentum of white hairs on vegetative parts. Stipules of lower leaves connate, ovate-triangular, acute-acuminate, those of upper leaves free, papery with brownish base; 3−6 mm long and 1.8−3 mm wide, loosely covered by spreading hairs, ciliate at margins with 0.3−0.5 mm long. Upper leaves 2.5−4 cm long and lower leaves 8−11 cm long; rachis slender, straight or curved-ascending, loosely covered by spreading hairs, ciliate hairs at margins with hairs 0.3−0.7 mm long, upper petiole up to ca. 1 cm long, lower petiole up to 5 cm long. Upper leaflets in 3−5 pairs, lower leaflets in 4−7 pairs, elliptic to oblong-elliptic, rounded to cuneate at base, obtuse or slightly mucronate at the apex, 5−8 × 2.5−3.5 mm, upper surface loosely covered by subappressed or spreading hairs 0.3−0.4 mm long, lower surface densely covered by subappressed or spreading hairs 0.3−0.5 mm long. Inflorescence 3−4 cm long, oblong before anthesis, 38−40-flowered, elongating in fruit to 12−16 cm long. Bracts papery, 2.2−2.8 mm long and 0.6−0.8 mm wide, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, loosely covered by spreading hairs, at margins with ciliate hairs 0.3−0.5 mm long. Pedicel 1−1.5 mm long. Bracteoles narrowly linear to subulate, minutely hairy. Calyx greenish-brown, ca. 5 mm long, loosely covered by appressed hairs; teeth 2.3−3 mm long, narrowly linear or subulate. Corolla pale pink-violet or brownish to yellowish when dry. Standard 9−9.2 × 5.5−6 mm, ovate-elliptic, emarginate at the apex, abruptly cuneatly narrowed at the base. Wings 6.6−7 mm long; blades narrowly oblong, rounded at the apex, 5.5−6 ca. 2 mm; auricle 1−1.2 mm; claw 1.8−2 mm long. Keel 9−9.2 mm long; blades obliquely obovate, with curved lower edge and nearly straight upper edge, obtuse to subacute at the apex, 6.5−7 × 3−3.2 mm; auricle indistinct; claw 2−2.3 mm long. Staminal tube truncate at the mouth. Ovary sessile, semiorbicular. Pods sessile, semiorbicular, erect to ascending, 6−7 mm long and 5.5−6 mm wide, loosely covered by appressed hairs 0.2−0.3 mm long, without prickles on disc, crest 5−6-toothed, serrate; teeth 1−1.8 mm long and 1−1.5 mm wide.

Etymology:— The specific epithet “patula means “spreading and is chosen due to the diagnostic feature of spreading hairs covering the plant.

Specimens examined:— Known only from type material.

Taxonomic and distribution remarks: — Onobrychis patula is a narrowly endemic species known only from the dry-steppe zone of the mountainous regions near south Kopetdagh in Khorasan Province ( Fig. 3 ). This new species shows remarkable similarity to O. verae in the shape of the petals and shape of the pods ( Table 1 ). Both species are distributed in northeastern Iran. Onobrychis patula can be recognized by rachises, peduncles and leaflets densely covered by spreading hairs, although the upper surface of the leaflets can be loosely hairy sometimes. The length of calyx, wings and pods can be used for definite distinction of the species.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Onobrychis patula (from holotype). A. habit. B. calyx. C. standard. D. keel. E. wings. F. androecium. G. gynoecium. H. pods. Scale A = 2 cm, B H = 1 cm.

FIGURE 2. Onobrychis patula (from holotype). A. variations in pods. B. stem and rachis indumentums (black arrow). C. stipule (black arrow). Scale in A−C based on mm.

FIGURE 3. Distribution map of O. patula (1) and O. mucronifolia (2) in Iran.