Satureja edmondii Briq.

Bordbar, Firouzeh & Mirtadzadini, Mansour, 2024, Reassessment of Satureja edmondii Briq., a replacement name for S. longiflora Boiss. & Hausskn. (Lamiaceae, Nepetoideae, Mentheae), Adansonia (3) 46 (12), pp. 129-131 : 130

Satureja edmondii Briq. [nom nov.]

( Bordbar & Mirtadzadini 2024: fig. 1G-J)

In Annuaire du Conservatoire et du Jardin botaniques de Genève 2: 186 ( Briquet 1898).

Satureja longiflora Boiss. & Hausskn. , in Flora Orientalis 4: 566 ( Boissier 1879), non Presl (1826). — Type: Iran • In rup. in Parrow supra Kermanschah; alt. 1525 m; 06.IX.1867; Haussknecht 760a ; holo-, G-BOIS [4-part specimen: G00786053 image!] ; iso-, JE[JE00013735 image!, JE00013736 image!], K[K000193595 image!], W[W0031746 image!]) (typified by Rechinger 1982).

Satureja boissieri Briq. , in Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien 4, 3a: 298 ( Briquet 1895 -1897) non Hausskn. ex Boiss. ( Boissier 1879).

PHENOLOGY. — Flowering September to October, fruiting November.

DISTRIBUTION AND ECOLOGY. — Endemic species to W of Iran, Kermanshah Prov. (Mt. Parrow) and Kordestan Prov. (Mt. Shahu) ( Bordbar & Mirtadzadini 2024: fig. 5D). Rock crevices, dry limestone slopes.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — Iran • W Iran, Kermanshah Prov., 5 km from Bisotun toward Sonqor, Mt. Parow, Nojubaran defile; 34°26’20.4”N, 47°24’14”E; alt. 1376 m; 04.XI.2016; Bordbar 2032 (MIR) • Ibid.; 12.XII.2019; Mirtadzadini, Bordbar & Doostmo-hammadi 3800 (MIR) • Mt. Paraw, 25 km NW of Kermanshah, E of Mahmoudabad (Maimunabad); 34°35’9.5”N, 46°59’40.8”E; alt. 1660 m; 21.IX.2022; Mirtadzadini & Bordbar 4153 (MIR) • Bisotun to Sonqor; 20.VIII.2007; Mirtadzadini 2030 (MIR) • Ibid.; 34°31’57.3”N, 47°22’28.4”E; alt. 1350 m; 15.X.2019; Mirtadzadini 2031 (MIR) • 12 km from Bisotun to Sahneh; 34°27’36.7”N, 47°33’3.5”E; alt. 1450 m; 22.IX.2022; Mirtadzadini & Bordbar 4154 (MIR) • Kordestan Prov., Hawraman (Auroman) region, Speriz village, North slopes of Mt. Shahu; alt. 1300 m; 30.X.2021; Advay 4155 (MIR).

DESCRIPTION

Aromatic perennial, 20-50 cm high. Stems erectprocumbent,covered with short white spreading glandular and eglandular hairs, length of lower internodes 15-20 mm, length of inflorescence internodes 3-10 mm. Leaves sessile, lower leaves elongated elliptic or obovate, sometimes oblong-oblanceolate, upper leaves oblong, elliptic or elongated obovate, rarely elongated ovate, conduplicate, covered with short white glandular and eglandular hairs and sessile glands, lower leaves 10-25 × 2-7 mm, attenuate at base, apex rotundate, rarely acute. Verticillasters distant or approximate, 1-6 flowers in verticillasters, flowers sessile or with a short pedicel up to 2 mm. Calyx green, tubular, covered with short spreading glandular and eglandular hairs and sessile glands on the outside, 4-7(-8-9) mm, calyx teeth straight, triangular or triangular-lanceolate, inferior teeth 1.5-3 mm, superior teeth 0.7-2.5 mm. Corolla blade violet, tube white, 10-18 mm long. Stamens slightly exserted from the corolla tube. Style slightly shorter than or as long as posterior stamens, rarely longer. Nutlets elliptic, c. 1.5- 1.8 mm long, 0.6-0.8 mm wide, brown to dark brown.

REMARKS

The replacement name Satureja edmondii was proposed by Briquet (1898) for the name S. longiflora Boiss. & Hausskn. , a later homonym of S. longiflora C.Presl. ( Presl 1826). The latter name is now regarded as synonym of Micromeria graeca Benth. ( Nyman 1878 -1881). Rechinger (1982: 500-501) correctly accepted this species under the name Satureja edmondii .

S. edmondii is morphologically closer to S. macrantha . The two species indicate a variation in the state of verticillasters which are distant or approximate. In S. edmondii both forms of verticillasters are observed among the individuals of accession Bordbar 2032 (MIR). They have tubular calyces, corollas with elongated white tube and violet blade. However, they are separated in the shape of lower leaves and the state of calyx teeth. In S. edmondii , the lower leaves are often elongated elliptic or obovate while they are linear to oblongor oblanceolate in S. macrantha . The calyx teeth are often straight in S. edmondii but mostly recurved in S. macrantha .

S. edmondii has been reported from Lorestan and BakhtiariProvinces of Iran by Jamzad (2012). By the exploration of the specimens in the reported localities in Lorestan and Bakhtiari Provinces, we found only S. macrosiphonia and S. bachtiarica , respectively. We conclude that there might be a mistake in their identification.