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Two new species―Silene orientoalborzensis and S. circumcarmanica―are here described from Northeast and South Iran, respectively. They belong to Silene subg. Silene sect. Auriculatae which is the largest section of the genus in W-Asia. A... more
Two new species―Silene orientoalborzensis and S. circumcarmanica―are here described from Northeast and South Iran, respectively. They belong to Silene subg. Silene sect. Auriculatae which is the largest section of the genus in W-Asia. A specimen from center of Iran, which was identified erroneously as S. atocioides, is revised and identified as S. pendula which represents a new record for the Iranian flora. S. simsii is proposed as a nomen novum for Cucubalus multifidus.
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Molecular phylogenetic studies have had major impacts on the delineation of higher-level taxa in many plant groups. Apiaceae subfamily Apioideae, its largest subfamily, is in the process of major systematic rearrangements owing to these... more
Molecular phylogenetic studies have had major impacts on the delineation of higher-level taxa in many plant groups. Apiaceae subfamily Apioideae, its largest subfamily, is in the process of major systematic rearrangements owing to these studies. Iran, with more than one fourth of all apioid genera, is a biodiversity hotspot for this subfamily, though the sampling of these taxa from this region has been insufficient. Currently, 111 apioid genera are recognized in Iran of which 18 including five endemics are not presented or are under-represented in previous phylogenetic studies. We used the sequences of nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and chloroplast rps16 intron (rps16) regions from 325 and 149 accessions, respectively, representing most of the known genera of Apioideae from Iran. Twenty-nine ITS and 26 rps16 sequences were newly generated for this study. Phylogenetic trees were reconstructed using Bayesian inference, Maximum likelihood, and Maximum parsimony methods. The results assign the endemic genera Ergocarpon to Echinophoreae, Lomatopodium to Selineae, Froriepia and Oliveria to Pyramidoptereae, and Stenotaenia to Tordylieae. In addition, Ormosciadium, morphologically characterized by moniliform and inflated mericarp margins, is assigned to Tordylieae. Neocryptodiscus persicus is shown to be a synonym of Prangos persica. The previous placement of Heptaptera in the Physospermopsis clade is not correct and it should be moved to the Opopanax clade. Morphological characters deemed to be of high diagnostic value are the shape of leaf segments, presence of tubers, colour of petals, and mericarp features including shape, presence of lateral or dorsal wings, and type of compression and indumentum. A diagnostic key to 19 tribes, nine subtribes and other major clades compatible with these taxonomic ranks and an updated list of genera of Apioideae occurring in Iran with their tribal and subtribal position is provided.
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The generic boundary of the broadly defined Acanthophyllum s.l., the third‐largest genus of the tribe Caryophylleae (Caryophyllaceae), has been a subject of taxonomic confusion. Acanthophyllum s.l. now includes five minor genera... more
The generic boundary of the broadly defined Acanthophyllum s.l., the third‐largest genus of the tribe Caryophylleae (Caryophyllaceae), has been a subject of taxonomic confusion. Acanthophyllum s.l. now includes five minor genera previously recognized as independent. Among these small genera, the inclusion of Allochrusa, Ochotonophila, and Scleranthopsis within Acanthophyllum s.l. was confirmed by previous molecular studies, while the positions of Diaphanoptera and Kuhitangia remained uncertain. We have performed an updated molecular study of Acanthophyllum s.l. including an increased sampling of the genera and sections assigned to this group, using intron sequences of the chloroplast gene rps16 and nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences. Cyathophylla, Heterochroa, and Saponaria were chosen as outgroups for performing phylogenetic analyses using maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods. The present results suggest that, in addition to the genera mentioned above,...
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FIGURE 2. Rhammatophyllum gaudanense. Drawing prepared from Jouharchi 34907 (FUMH). A: part of fruit, B: seed with wing, C: plant. Scale bar in A: 2 mm; B: 0.5 mm; C: 1 cm.
Chromosome numbers and karyotypes of 10 species of Allium section Acanthoprason collected from different localities in Iran are presented. Seven counts represent new reports. Chromosomal characteristics were determined using photographs... more
Chromosome numbers and karyotypes of 10 species of Allium section Acanthoprason collected from different localities in Iran are presented. Seven counts represent new reports. Chromosomal characteristics were determined using photographs complemented by statistical analyses. Our results show that the members of this section are diploid with homogeneous karyotypes characterized by the basic chromosome number of x = 8. The karyotypes are ±symmetrical composing mainly of metacentric and submetacentric chromosomes.
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A putatively monophyletic group of annual Silene species is revised taxonomically and described as the new section S. sect. Arenosae. The species of this section were previously treated as a part of a widely circumscribed and polyphyletic... more
A putatively monophyletic group of annual Silene species is revised taxonomically and described as the new section S. sect. Arenosae. The species of this section were previously treated as a part of a widely circumscribed and polyphyletic S. sect. Rigidulae. Silene sect. Arenosae as circumscribed here consists of nine species. Members of the section show a predominantly E Mediterranean to SW Asian distribution pattern from Turkey southward to Egypt and eastward to Iran and Pakistan, although most of the species have a limited distribution range. The species of S. sect. Arenosae are characterized by narrowly lanceolate calyx teeth, which are often highly polymorphic, and lanceolate to oblanceolate (non-spathulate) basal leaves. The provided taxonomic revision is based on morphological characters and supported by phylogenetic analyses of two nuclear loci (nrITS and an intron of the RPB2 gene) and one chloroplast locus (the intron of the rps16 gene). The species descriptions are formal...
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Seed surface ultrastructure shows a wide variation among different species of the genus Allium that could potentially provide valuable characters in inferring the relationships. In order to evaluate inter‐ and intraspecific variation of... more
Seed surface ultrastructure shows a wide variation among different species of the genus Allium that could potentially provide valuable characters in inferring the relationships. In order to evaluate inter‐ and intraspecific variation of testa microsculpturing in the leek alliance, 33 seed samples of Allium representing its two subgenera, six sections, and 23 species were studied. Seed testa surface was analyzed using both SEM and Stereomicroscopy. Minor differences in testa cell arrangement were observed between members of sect. Allium and sect. Avulsea (both of subg. Allium), but major contrasts were discerned between them and members of subg. Cepa. Significant similarity was distinguished in anticlinal walls of the members of sect. Allium and sect. Avulsea: they were variously undulated (U‐, to ±Ω‐like). Testa cells in members of subg. Cepa, and some of subg. Allium (sect. Caerulea, sect. Codonoprasum, and sect. Longivaginata) showed ribbed anticlinal walls suggesting a close rela...
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Saffron quality is commonly determined by three parameters: color, aroma, and taste. Several factors including harvesting and post-harvesting conditions, affect these parameters. In this study, the effect of storage time on saffron... more
Saffron quality is commonly determined by three parameters: color, aroma, and taste. Several factors including harvesting and post-harvesting conditions, affect these parameters. In this study, the effect of storage time on saffron quality was evaluated. At first, the relative concentration of the saffron secondary metabolites in freshly dried and 2 years stored saffron samples prepared with ISO 3632 and UA-DLLME methods and then measured using UV-Vis and GC-FID techniques. In order to find saffron storage time biomarkers, the obtained data were subjected to several data analysis steps including data preprocessing, principal component analysis (PCA), partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and variable selection methods. Based on the obtained main biomarkers and proposed molecule mechanism, it can be concluded that during the storage periods, the intensity of saffron color reduces, while its aroma increases, reflecting a negative correlation between them. Freshly dried s...
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Khademi H, Mehregan I, Assadi M, Nejadsatari T, Zarre S. 2015. Molecular phylogeny of Acer monspessulanum L. subspecies from Iran inferred using the ITS region of nuclear ribosomal DNA. Biodiversitas 17: 16-23. This study was carried out... more
Khademi H, Mehregan I, Assadi M, Nejadsatari T, Zarre S. 2015. Molecular phylogeny of Acer monspessulanum L. subspecies from Iran inferred using the ITS region of nuclear ribosomal DNA. Biodiversitas 17: 16-23. This study was carried out on the Acer monspessulanum complex growing wild in Iran. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences for 75 samples representing five different subspecies of Acer monspessulanum were analyzed. Beside this, 86 previously published ITS sequences from GenBank were used to test the monophyly of the complex worldwide. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted using Bayesian inference and maximum parsimony. The results indicate that most samples of A. monspessulanum species from Iran were part of a monophyletic clade with 8 samples of A. ibericum from Georgia, A. hyrcanum from Iran and one of A. sempervirens from Greece (PP= 1; BS= 79%). Our results indicate that use of morphological characteristics coupled with molecular data will be most effective.
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Research Interests: Mathematics, Artificial Intelligence, Soil, Chemometrics, Chromatography, and 12 morePrincipal Component Analysis, Food Chemistry, Medicine, Multidisciplinary, Quality Control, Iran, Salinity, High Pressure Liquid Chromatography, Partial Least Squares Regression, Crocus, Quntitative Thin Layer Chromatography, and RGB-HIS color model
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During the work on the genus Astragalus for the “Flora Iranica” and a planned revision of the whole genus in the Old World several new species (35) could be discovered among the material recently investigated. They are described here:... more
During the work on the genus Astragalus for the “Flora Iranica” and a planned revision of the whole genus in the Old World several new species (35) could be discovered among the material recently investigated. They are described here: Sect. Aegacantha: A. vallis‐astoris; Sect. Alopecuroidei: A. ebrahimabadensis; Sect. Ammodendron: A. harirudensis; Sect. Brachycarpus: A. ohbaensis, A. pishanxianensis; Sect. Craccina: A. tenuissimus; Sect. Dissitiflori: A. ahangarensis, A. capitis‐regni, A. sessiliflorus, A. shogotensis; Sect. Erioceras: A. hecatae; Sect. Hololeuce: A. repentinus; Sect. Hymenostegis: A. qorvehensis; Sect. Hypoglottidei: A.nezva‐montis; Sect. Incani: A. dorudensis, A. hamadryadis, A. harazensis, A. innotabilis; Sect. Malacothrix: A. absconditus, A. anodiophilus, A. khunsarensis, A. meshkinensis, A. segregatus, A. shehbazii, A. taebiae; A. tahbaziae, A. vicinalis; Sect. Onobrychoidei: A. affinis, A. dysbatophilus; A. ignotus; Sect. Ornithopodium: A. zourabadensis; Sect....
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A cladistic analysis of the genus Veronica was performed using 36 morphological characters. 29 species including three outgroups from related genera and 26 species as representatives of natural groups within Veronica distributed mainly in... more
A cladistic analysis of the genus Veronica was performed using 36 morphological characters. 29 species including three outgroups from related genera and 26 species as representatives of natural groups within Veronica distributed mainly in Iran were selected for the analysis. For determination of character polarity the taxa Digitalis nervosa, Wulfenia amherstiana and Veronicastrum virginicum are used as outgroups. Based on the cladistic analysis the patterns of homoplasy are discussed for all applied characters. The analysis shows that most of the morphological characters exhibit high level of homoplasy and are not enough reliable for subgeneric classification in Veronica. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
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Plants of Central Asia: Plant Collections from China and Mongolia. Vol. 8c . Astragalus L . Edited by V.I. Grubov. Vol. 8c by N. Ulzijchutag. Translated from Rasteniya Tsentral'noi Asii , vol. 8c, 2000. Mir i Sem'ya, St.-Petersburg. Enfield (NH, USA) and Plymouth (UK): Science Publishers, Inc. 20...more
Research Interests: Plant Biology and China
Allium is a particularly species rich (more than 800 species) and economically important genus, with numerous taxonomic problems at all levels of classification. In this study, we try to uncover the phylogenetic relationships in the... more
Allium is a particularly species rich (more than 800 species) and economically important genus, with numerous taxonomic problems at all levels of classification. In this study, we try to uncover the phylogenetic relationships in the common leek (A. ampeloprasum) based on selected samples of this species and its putative relatives in sect. Allium from Iran. The silica-dried leaf samples of 56 accessions representing 23 species of Allium were sequenced for this study, 53 sequences of nrDNA ITS, 35 sequences of plastid rps16 and 52 sequences of trnL-F were generated and several accessions were extracted from GenBank in order to cover all recognized main lineages in the genus. Maximum Parsimony and Bayesian Inference generated similar trees, but the placement of A. ampeloprasum and its relatives differs slightly in the nuclear versus plastid datasets. In the nrITS tree A. ampeloprasum is retrieved in a highly supported clade with A. iranicum, while in the combined plastid tree A. ampeloprasum formed a highly supported clade with A. vineale. This supports the hypothesis of a possible hybrid origin of A. ampeloprasum. Allium iranicum formed a clade in the plastid tree, but was resolved as paraphyletic in the nrITS tree, probably due to presence of multiple non-concerted copies of nrITS. Close relationships are suggested between following species: A. aznavense and A. wendelboi with A. talyschense, A. erubescens and A. rotundum with A. scorodoprasum, and A. abbasii with A. phanerantherum
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The genus Astragalus L. (Fabaceae) is reviewed from both phyloenetic and taxonomic points of view. As the largest genus of flowering plants it has attracted many researchers, but much work remains to be done. A short taxonomic history... more
The genus Astragalus L. (Fabaceae) is reviewed from both phyloenetic and taxonomic points of view. As the largest genus of flowering plants it has attracted many researchers, but much work remains to be done. A short taxonomic history with special focus on infrageneric classification of the genus, a list of phylogenetic studies including the applied markers and sampling strategies as well as a short discussion on evolution of morphological characters are presented.
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Molecular phylogenetic studies have had major impacts on the delineation of higher-level taxa in many plant groups. Apiaceae subfamily Apioideae, its largest subfamily, is in the process of major systematic rearrangements owing to these... more
Molecular phylogenetic studies have had major impacts on the delineation of higher-level taxa in many plant groups. Apiaceae subfamily Apioideae, its largest subfamily, is in the process of major systematic rearrangements owing to these studies. Iran, with more than one fourth of all apioid genera, is a biodiversity hotspot for this subfamily, though the sampling of these taxa from this region has been insufficient. Currently, 111 apioid genera are recognized in Iran of which 18 including five endemics are not presented or are under-represented in previous phylogenetic studies. We used the sequences of nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and chloroplast rps16 intron (rps16) regions from 325 and 149 accessions, respectively, representing most of the known genera of Apioideae from Iran. Twenty-nine ITS and 26 rps16 sequences were newly generated for this study. Phylogenetic trees were reconstructed using Bayesian inference, Maximum likelihood, and Maximum parsimony methods. The results assign the endemic genera Ergocarpon to Echinophoreae, Lomatopodium to Selineae, Froriepia and Oliveria to Pyramidoptereae, and Stenotaenia to Tordylieae. In addition, Ormosciadium, morphologically characterized by moniliform and inflated mericarp margins, is assigned to Tordylieae. Neocryptodiscus persicus is shown to be a synonym of Prangos persica. The previous placement of Heptaptera in the Physospermopsis clade is not correct and it should be moved to the Opopanax clade. Morphological characters deemed to be of high diagnostic value are the shape of leaf segments, presence of tubers, colour of petals, and mericarp features including shape, presence of lateral or dorsal wings, and type of compression and indumentum. A diagnostic key to 19 tribes, nine subtribes and other major clades compatible with these taxonomic ranks and an updated list of genera of Apioideae occurring in Iran with their tribal and subtribal position is provided.
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Tubers of terrestrial orchids are harvested and traded from the eastern Mediterranean to the Caspian Sea for the traditional product Salep. Over-exploitation of wild populations and increased middle-class prosperity have escalated prices... more
Tubers of terrestrial orchids are harvested and traded from the eastern Mediterranean to the Caspian Sea for the traditional product Salep. Over-exploitation of wild populations and increased middle-class prosperity have escalated prices for Salep, causing overharvesting, depletion of native populations and providing an incentive to expand harvesting to untapped areas in Iran. Limited morphological distinctiveness among traded Salep tubers renders species identification impossible, making it difficult to establish which species are targeted and affected the most. In this study, a reference database of 490 nrITS, trnL-F spacer and matK sequences of 133 taxa was used to identify 150 individual tubers from 31 batches purchased in 12 cities in Iran to assess species diversity in commerce. The sequence reference database consisted of 211 nrITS, 158 trnL-F, and 121 matK sequences, including 238 new sequences from collections made for this study. The markers enabled unambiguous species ide...
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Cynomoriaceae, one of the last unplaced families of flowering plants, comprises one or two species or subspecies of root parasites that occur from the Mediterranean to the Gobi Desert. Using Illumina sequencing, we assembled the... more
Cynomoriaceae, one of the last unplaced families of flowering plants, comprises one or two species or subspecies of root parasites that occur from the Mediterranean to the Gobi Desert. Using Illumina sequencing, we assembled the mitochondrial and plastid genomes as well as some nuclear genes of a Cynomorium specimen from Italy. Selected genes were also obtained by Sanger sequencing from individuals collected in China and Iran, resulting in matrices of 33 mitochondrial, 6 nuclear, and 14 plastid genes and rDNAs enlarged to include a representative angiosperm taxon sampling based on data available in GenBank. We also compiled a new geographic map to discern possible discontinuities in the parasites' occurrence. Cynomorium has large genomes of 13.70-13.61 (Italy) to 13.95-13.76 pg (China). Its mitochondrial genome consists of up to 49 circular subgenomes and has an overall gene content similar to that of photosynthetic angiosperms, while its plastome retains only 27 of the normally...
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Three new tragacanthic representatives of the genus Astragalus L. are described. They are compared with their closest relatives. The line drawing illustrations of the floral parts and a distribution map are given for each species.
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Research Interests: Botany, Evolutionary Biology, Plant Biology, Science, Taxonomy, and 7 moreBiology, Systematics, Silene, Genus, RPS, Caryophyllaceae, and Taxon
Two new species―Silene orientoalborzensis and S. circumcarmanica―are here described from Northeast and South Iran, respectively. They belong to Silene subg. Silene sect. Auriculatae which is the largest section of the genus in W-Asia. A... more
Two new species―Silene orientoalborzensis and S. circumcarmanica―are here described from Northeast and South Iran, respectively. They belong to Silene subg. Silene sect. Auriculatae which is the largest section of the genus in W-Asia. A specimen from center of Iran, which was identified erroneously as S. atocioides, is revised and identified as S. pendula which represents a new record for the Iranian flora. S. simsii is proposed as a nomen novum for Cucubalus multifidus.
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The status of the genus Dichodon has long been debated, and its taxonomic position in tribe Alsineae has been changed during the time from a section or subgenus in Cerastium to genus sister to Holosteum. This group comprises important... more
The status of the genus Dichodon has long been debated, and its taxonomic position in tribe Alsineae has been changed during the time from a section or subgenus in Cerastium to genus sister to Holosteum. This group comprises important members of wet meadows in alpine and subalpine vegetation of Europe, arctic regions, and SW-Asia plus one species known as a weed in N-America, and a further one occuring in mountains of Taiwan. In order to clarify the taxonomic questions concerning this group and its species delimitation, we constructed phylogenetic trees, selecting several species belonging to tribe Alsineae as representatives of major lineages of this tribe as well as several accessions of Dichodon. Morphological studies focused more intensively on members of Dichodon using herbarium specimens and direct field examinations. The results confirm those of recent molecular phylogenetic studies, indicating Dichodon as a monophyletic genus sister to Holosteum and not Cerastium. In additio...