Allium aladaghense Memariani & Joharchi, 2012

Memariani, Farshid, Joharchi, Mohammad Reza & Arjmandi, Ali Asghar, 2012, Allium aladaghense (Amaryllidaceae, Allieae), a new species of section Asteroprason from northeast of Iran, Phytotaxa 56 (1), pp. 28-34 : 29-30

Allium aladaghense Memariani & Joharchi , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 )

Ab Allio kuhsorkhensi foliis angustioribus, tepalis albis, filamentis violaceis basaliter albidis, capsulis minoribus et seminibus nitidis differt.

Type: — IRAN. North Khorassan: SW Bojnord, Rein towards Marjan rangeland, Bali , northern slopes of Aladagh Mt. , 2350–2400 m, 28 May 2006, Memariani & Zangooei 37801 ( FUMH) .

Bulbs subglobose, app. 2 cm in diameter, tunics greyish-brown. Leaves 1 or 2, elliptic to oblong, thick fleshy, basally enclosing the scape, the upper side sulcate, glaucous and basally reddish-brown, margin red and scabrous, 7–20 cm long, 1.5–3 cm wide. Scape cylindrical, straight, shorter than leaves, 2–8 cm above soil, app. 2 mm in diameter, glaucous green. Spathe membranous, splitting into 2–4 shortly acuminate parts, with brownish nerves. Umbel semi-globose to subglobose, contracted, many-flowered, 3–4 cm in diameter. Pedicels straight, up to 15 mm long, purplish. Flowers flat star-like. Tepals long-triangular, longitudinally folded, acute, 5–7 mm long, basally 0.5–1 mm wide, white, with brownish mid-vein, after anthesis convolute but not prickly stiff. Filaments 4/5 to nearly as long as tepals, violet, with whitish base, subulate, basally connate and united with tepals. Anthers app. 1.5 mm long, violet. Ovary depressed globose with three deep furrows, coarse, app. 2 mm in diameter, violet, after anthesis greenish. Style conical, 3–4 mm long, whitish violet, stigma undivided. Capsule depressed tripartite with furrows, 3–4 mm long, 5–6 mm diameter, in fresh state greenish, in dry state brownish. Seeds one per locule, depressed ovate, 2–2.5 mm long, 1–1.5 mm wide, app. 1 mm thick, shiny black.

Etymology: —The specific epithet refers to Aladagh mountain range in SW of the capital city of Bojnord in North Khorassan province.

Phenology: —An ephemeroid species, leaf sprouting is initiated in May, flowering and fruiting is completed in mid-June ( Fig. 1 ).

Distribution and habitat: —So far, A. aladaghense was found in higher elevations of Aladagh range and Salook summit in NE Iran ( Fig. 2 ). It grows on north and northwest facing stony slopes, between 2350–2600 m a.s.l., in mountain steppes usually inhabited by thorn-cushion plants such as Acantholimon erinaceum ( Jaubert & Spach 1842: 163) Linczevski (1952: 370) , Onobrychis cornuta ( Linnaeus 1763: 1060) Desvaux (1814: 81) , Gypsophila aretioides Boissier (1843: 9) and also by Festuca valesiaca Schleich. ex Gaudin (1811: 242) , Dracocephalum kotschyi Boissier (1846: 53) , Minuartia lineata ( Boissier 1867: 677) Bornmüller (1910: 318) , Tanacetum polycephalum Schultz (1844: 47) and Jurinea monocephala Aitchison & Hemsley (1888: 80) .

Conservation status:—According to IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (IUCN 2010), A. aladaghense is here assessed as Critically Endangered (CR, B1+2ab(iii)). Its extent of occurrence is not more than 50 km 2 and the area of occupancy is less than 10 km 2. Only small populations are located in the borders of Salook Protected Area and the main parts of the species range are not only outside of the officially protected areas but also are intensely grazed by livestock ( Fig. 1B ). Very peculiar habitats of fragmented populations of the species in subalpine zone may be sensitive to climate change and global warming.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes):— IRAN. North Khorassan: SW Bojnord, between Hessar and Showqan, on the road towards Salook Protected Area, near the guard station, 2502 m, 1 June 2008, Joharchi & Zangooei 40624 ( FUMH); SW Bojnord, Salook Mt. , 13 km on the special road towards Salook Protected Area , 2500–2580 m, 10 June 2010, Memariani & Arjmandi 43929 ( FUMH) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Allium aladaghense in its natural habitat. A–B: the type location at Mt. Aladagh, A. Habit; B. A small population on stony slopes with grazed leaves. C–D: the localities at Mt. Salook, C. Plants growing in the thorn cushion Acantholimon erinaceum, a nurse bush for A. aladaghense; D. The plants in fruiting stage.

FIGURE 2. Distribution map of Allium sect. Asteroprason subsect. Asteroprason including the new species, A. aladaghense (white circle) and its closely related species, A. kuhsorkhense (black circle), according to the vouchers seen by the authors.