Phytotaxa 350 (3): 297–299 http://www.mapress.com/j/pt/ Copyright © 2018 Magnolia Press ISSN 1179-3155 (print edition) Correspondence PHYTOTAXA ISSN 1179-3163 (online edition) https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.350.3.9 Rediscovery of Astragalus saganlugensis (Fabaceae, Galegeae) in Iran after 184 years ALI BAGHERI1*, ALI ASGHAR MAASSOUMI2 & ERNST VITEK3 1 Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran Botany Research Division, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran 3 Department of Botany, Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Burgring 7, 1010 Wien, Austria *Author for correspondence 2 Astragalus Linnaeus (1753: 755) (Fabaceae), with about 240 sections and 3000 species, is the largest genus of flowering plants (Podlech & Zarre 2013). Sect. Hypoglottidei De Candolle (1825: 281) with 46 species is one of the taxonomically most problematic sections. The majority of these species grow in Turkey and Iran (Chamberlain & Matthews 1970; Podlech et al. 2010; Podlech & Zarre 2013). Astragalus saganlugensis Trautvetter (1858: 323) is common in both countries, but also in Armenia and Azerbaijan. Trautvetter (1858) described this species as a member of section Hypoglottidei, but did not designate type material for the species. Podlech and Sytin (1996) were the first to choose a lectotype for this species. The name Oxytropis mollissima C.A.Mey. ex Bunge (1869: 87) is listed as “unresolved” in The Plant List (www. theplantlist.org accessed January 2018). It was used by C.A. Meyer on sheet labels (‘in schedis’) of many specimens collected by J.N. Szovits from NW of Iran. Bunge in his ‘Generis Astragali species gerontogaeae’ (1869) listed this name as a synonym under Astragalus saganlugensis. However, this name is not validly published and should be considered a “nom. nud.”. Therefore, the specimens labelled as Oxytropis mollissima do not represent types, but they are authentic materials of Astragalus saganlugensis. These specimens collected by J.N. Szovits are the first records of Astragalus saganlugensis for the flora of Iran, collected in 1828 (Lamond 1973). Most recently the species was rediscovered by the first and second authors who recollected the species 184 years later from NW of Iran in 2012 (Fig. 1). The recollected specimen was deposited in TARI. Taxonomic treatment Astragalus saganlugensis Trautv., Bull. Cl. Phys.-Math. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Pétersbourg 16: 323. 1858. ≡ Tragacantha saganlugensis (Trautv.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. 2: 947. 1891. Lectotype (designated by Podlech and Sytin, 1996):—TURKEY. In Turcia asiatica, inter montes saganlugenses et Arserum (Erzerum), 19 August 1855, Lagowski s.n. (LE!: sheet marked as lectotypus, photo MSB!; iso: G-BOIS!, LE!: photo E!). = Oxytropis mollissima C.A.Mey. ex Bunge, nom. nud. in syn. Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint Pétersbourg, Sér. 7 15(1): 87 (1869). Authentic specimens:—Persia, Azerbeidschan [Azarbaijan Garbi, distr. Khoi versus limites Turciae (locality added fide Podlech & Zarre 2013, Vol. 2: 974)], s. dat., Szovits 545 [P 00623257!, W 0076233!, W-Rchb 1889-0152923!, W-Rchb 1889-0357314!] Other synonyms (according to Podlech & Zarre 2013, Vol. 2: 973): = A. phanothrix Bornm., Magyar Bot. Lapok 14: 52. 1915. = A. sapozhnikovii Schischk., Izv. Tomsk. Gosud. Univ. 81: 477. 1928. ≡ A. saganlugensis var. sapozhnikovii (Schischk.) Ponert, Feddes Repert. 83: 620. 1973. Accepted by James Boatwright: 18 Apr. 2018; published: 23 May 2018 297 FIGURE 1. Astragalus saganlugensis, recollected after 184 years for the Flora of Iran. Distribution:—Turkey; Armenia; Azerbaijan and Iran. (Fig. 2). Additional Specimens examined:—IRAN. W. Azarbayejan province: from Maku to Chaldoran, heights of Baroon dam, 2100 m, 02 July 2012, Maassoumi and Bagheri 98373, TARI!. Acknowledgements We would like to thank the curators of the herbaria of B, E, G, K, LE, MSB, W, P and TARI for providing herbarium facilities and photographs of digital specimens. We also are thankful Dr. M. Mahmoodi (TARI) for preparing the distribution map. 298 • Phytotaxa 350 (3) © 2018 Magnolia Press BAGHERI ET AL. FIGURE 2. Distribution map of Astragalus saganlugensis (based on specimens mentioned in Podlech & Zarre 2013). References Bunge, A. (1869) Generis Astragali species Gerontogeae. Pars altera, Specierum enumeration. Mémoires de l’Académie Impériale des Sciences de Saint Pétersbourg, Septième série 15: 1–245. Candolle, A.P. de (1825) Prodromus systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis 2. Paris, 281 pp. Chamberlain, D.F. & Matthews, M.A. (1970) Astragalus L. In: Davis, P.H. (Ed.) Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, vol. 3. Edinburgh Univ. Press, Edinburgh, 83 pp. Lamond, J.M. (1973) The Transcaucasian and Iranian collections of J.N. Szovits. Notes from the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh 32: 239–245. Linnaeus, C. von (1753) Species Plantarum. Laurentius Salvius, Stockholm, 1200 pp. Podlech, D. & Sytin, A. (1996) Typification of Russian and some other species of Astragalus I. Sendtnera 3: 149-176. Podlech, D. & Zarre, Sh. [with collaboration of Ekici, M., Maassoumi, A.A. & Sytin, A.] (2013) A taxonomic revision of the genus Astragalus L. (Leguminosae) in the Old World. Vols. 1–3. Naturhistorisches Museum, Wien, 2439 pp. Podlech, D., Zarre, Sh., Maassoumi, A.A., Ekici, M. & Sytin, A. (2010) Papilionaceae VI: Astragalus L. IV & Barnebyella Podlech. In: Rechinger, K.H. (Ed.) Flora Iranica, No. 178. Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt, Graz, Austria, 430 pp. Trautvetter, E.R. (1858) Incrementa Florae Phaenogamae Rossicae. Bulletin de la Class Physico-Mathematique de l’Academie Imperiale des Sciences de Saint-Pétersbourg 16: 1–323. ASTRAGALUS SAGANLUGENSIS (FABACEAE, GALEGEAE) Phytotaxa 350 (3) © 2018 Magnolia Press • 299