Orobanche javakhetica Piwow., Ó. Sánchez & Moreno Mor. (2018b: 137)

Piwowarczyk, Renata, Pedraja, Óscar Sánchez, Moral, Gonzalo Moreno, Fayvush, George, Zakaryan, Narine, Kartashyan, Nune & Aleksanyan, Alla, 2019, Holoparasitic Orobanchaceae (Cistanche, Diphelypaea, Orobanche, Phelipanche) in Armenia: distribution, habitats, host range and taxonomic problems, Phytotaxa 386 (1), pp. 1-106 : 93-94

16. Orobanche javakhetica Piwow., Ó. Sánchez & Moreno Mor. (2018b: 137) . Type:— ARMENIA (holotype): Shirak prov.: E of village Ghazanchi , 22 July 2017, R. Piwowarczyk (KTC!). Fig. 45D .

Distribution: —In Armenia, the species is known only from the type locality in northwestern part in Shirak province ( Fig. 62).

General distribution: —Probably endemic to the Caucasus, described from Armenia ( Piwowarczyk et al. 2018b), but recently a large population was found (over 200 individuals) in Georgia, Svaneti region, near Ushguli (see specimens examined).

Habitat: —Grows in a subalpine meadow, on the SWW slope of Mt Ampasar, dominated by the Lomelosia caucasica (M. Bieb.) Greuter & Burdet , Stachys macrantha (K. Koch) Stearn , and Cephalaria gigantea (Ledeb.) Bobrov. , with NW exposure, at 2225–2230 m.

Hosts: —In Armenia, parasitic on Lomelosia caucasica [ Scabiosa caucasica M. Bieb. ] ( Dipsacaceae ). However, occasionally also can parasitise Stachys macrantha [ Betonica macrantha K. Koch ] ( Lamiaceae ) ( Piwowarczyk et al. 2018b), which was confirmed recently at the newly discovered locality in Georgia, where O. javakhetica preferred this host.

Phenology: —Flowering in the second half of July, fruiting in August.

Conservation status: —Critically Endangered (CR) – B 1 ab (iii) + 2 ab (iii); D. Endemic to the Caucasus. Only one location is known in Armenia. The population is small, ca. 20 individuals. Limiting factors are restricted EOO and AOO.

Notes: — Orobanche javakhetica is morphologically very characteristic and different from other known Orobanche . However, some morphological similarity may exist with other species from Orobanche subsect. Curvatae (Beck) Piwow., Ó. Sánchez & Moreno Mor. (see also discussion and key in Piwowarczyk et. al. 2018b). This degree of uncertainty of the phylogenetic relationship will probably be clarified in the future in comprehensive phylogenetic studies when some new relationships between species may be found ( Piwowarczyk et al. 2018b).

Specimens examined: — ARMENIA. Shirak prov.: Javakheti range, E of village Ghazanchi , subalpine meadow, NW exposure, 2225 m, 22 July 2017, R . Piwowarczyk ( KTC) . GEORGIA. Svaneti prov. : Ushguli NE to Mt Shkhara, subalpine meadows, slopes of Enguri river valley, 2200–2600 m, 24 July 2018, R . Piwowarczyk ( KTC) .

Figures

FIGURE 45. General habit of: A. Orobanche colorata, B. O. bartlingii, C. O. alba, D. O. javakhetica, E. O. owerini, F. O. arpica. Photos by Renata Piwowarczyk.