Taxonomic study of Astragalus sect Erioceras (Fabaceae) in Iran Additional notes and key to the species

A key to and new findings on the Astragalus sect. Erioceras, are given for the 10 species of this section, which occur within the area covered by the flora of Iran. One species, Astragalus neo-sytinii , is described as a new species. A. sympileicarpus is reported as a new record for the flora of Iran. A. viridis is transferred from A. sect. Erioceras to sect. Xiphidium Sect. Acantherioceras is reduced to the level of subsection. The differences between that section and closely related sections are discussed.     

Astragalus sect. Astragalus (Fabaceae) in Iran, complementary notes with a key to the species

Astragalus zarreianus. is described and illustrated from Iran. It belongs to section Astragalus. This new species confined to western part of Iran (Prov. Illam) from only one location. A key to the species of the section known from Iran is prepared. Differences between the section and the closely related sections are discussed. On the basis of some important trends, an informal grouping is undertaken for yellow flower Astragali. Moreover, A. pseudo-orthocarpus is considered as a valid species in this treatment and differences with its closest relatives are described.     

A revision of Hebeloma sect. Indusiata in the Nordic countries

A revision of Hebeloma sect. Indusiata in the Nordic countries has been undertaken. The type species of the genus, Agaricus fastibilis , is interpreted as being a non-veiled species, and therefore sect. Indusiata is the correct name for the section comprising the veiled, non-rooting species of Hebeloma. Subsect. Amygdalina subsect. nov. is proposed for species in sect. Indusiata possessing amygdaloid, dextrinoid spores. The following new taxa and combinations are proposed: Hebeloma mesophaeum var. crassipes var. non., H. mesophaeum var. lacteum nom. et stat. nov., H. polare sp. nov., H. sordescens sp. nov., H. atrobrunneum sp. nov., H. monticola sp. nov. and Agrocybe elatella comb. nov.     

The first record of Astragalus sect. Aegacantha (Fabaceae) in Iran

A new distinct population of Astragalus leiosemius. hitherto unknown to science, is reported for the first time from the eastern Alborz mountains in the Irano-Turanian part of Iran, at an altitude of 2400 m, far disjunct (ca. 800 km) from the populations at the Asia media and Afghanistan. The new taxon is described and illustrated as Astragalus leiosemius subsp. sabzevarensis. This orophilous and tragachantic plant belongs to A. sect. Aegacantha. On the basis of some important data on morphology, ecology and chorology, the new taxon is reported and its affinities and differences with regard to close taxa are presented. A. sect Aegacantha is recorded for the first time from the eastern part Iran.     

Astragalus moussavii (Fabaceae), a new species of Astragalus sect. Xiphidium from Iran, with supplementary notes on the section

The new species Astragalus moussavii , endemic to Iran, is described and illustrated. The new species belongs to A. sect. Xiphidium and is related to A. ruscifolius and A. sanctus.     

Onobrychis oshnaviyehensis sp. nov. (sect. Hymenobrychis, Fabaceae) from Iran

Onobrychis oshnaviyehensis (Fabaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species. This species, which belongs to the section Hymenobrychis , is confined to northwest Iran (Azarbaijan Province) and is only known from a single population close to the Turkish border.     

Taxonomic notes on Astragalus sect. Malacothrix (Fabaceae) from Iran

Astragalus porphyrogrammus , occurring in the Zarin-Abad of Zanjan (Iran), is described and illustrated. This species belongs to A. sect. Malacothrix and seems to be distinct and interesting among the Iranian species. In this research, A. sect. Grammocalyx which was very artificial placed in A. subgen. Calycophysa transferred to A. subgen. Hypoglottis. Moreover, relationships between A. subgen. Hypoglottis and the closely related subgenera in genus Astragalus are discussed. Also A. lineatus is recorded for Iran.     

Cousinia kermanensis and C. pulcherantha spp. nov. (Compositae,sect. Congestae and sect. Leiocaules) from southeastern Iran

Cousinia kermanensis sp. nov. (sect. Congestae Bunge) and C. pulcherantha sp. nov. (sect. Leiocaules Bunge) are described from Kerman in southeastern Iran. These species are compared to their closest related species, C. decurrens Regel and C. oophora Rech. f., respectively. The habitat of C. kermanensis is lowland mountains or hills with poor soils inside the steppe of Artemisia sieberi Besser. Cousinia pulcherantha grows on highland slopes of mountains with deep soils inside the steppe of Artemisia aucheri Boiss. Illustrations of the new species are presented.     

Astragalus sect. Semnanenses (Fabaceae): a new monotypic section from Iran

The systematic position of Astragalus semnanensis is studied. Morphological and micromorphological features of this species are not in accordance with the old position of this species as a member of A. sect. Leucocercis. Within A. subgen. Astragalus this species is intermediate between A. sect. Acanthophace and A. sect. Megalocystis , but it shows critical differences from them. Therefore, a new section, A. sect. Semnanenses is described.     

Astragalus sect. Astragalus (Fabaceae) in Iran

Astragalus rahiminejadii , a new species endemic to Iran, is described and illustrated. This species, which belongs to section Astragalus , is confined to the western part of Iran (Prov. Kermanshah) and is known only from a single population. Seed testa morphology as viewed under the scanning electron microscope is discussed and photomicrographs are provided. In addition, the geographical distribution and ecology of the species belonging to this section are discussed.  © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2005, 147 , 363–368.     

Taxonomic and biogeographical notes on Malagassy desmids (Chlorophyta, Desmidiaceae)

At least 40 % of the desmid taxa encountered during a short stay in Madagascar appeared to be characterized by a non-cosmopolitan distribution. The majority of those taxa have only been reported from Africa or from both Africa and tropical Asia, suggesting dispersal biogeography as underlying model of present day composition of the Malagassy desmid flora. A number of species are taxonomically and biogeographically discussed. Two species are described as new to science: Cosmarium madagascariense sp. nov., and Micrasterias madagascariensis sp. nov.     

A new species and two new combinations of Leontodon (Asteraceae, Hypochoeridinae)

Leontodon palisiae sp. nov. occurring in the Iberian Peninsula, Morocco and the Canary Islands is described and illustrated. Cytological data as well as some preliminary results of self-incompatibility tests in L. palisiae are presented. A comparative carpological study of L. muelleri, L. palisiae and L. salzmannii using the SEM is made, and an identification key of these three species is provided. Two new combinations, L. muelleri ssp. trivialis comb. nov., from Morocco, and L. kralikii comb. nov., from Libya and Tunisia, are proposed. All taxa belong to the series Annui of sect. Kalbfussia in subgenus Oporinia. The basic chromosome number x=5 is here reported for the first time within the genus.     

Previously undocumented diversity and abundance of cryptic species: a phylogenetic analysis of Indo-Pacific Arminidae Rafinesque, 1814 (Mollusca: Nudibranchia) with descriptions of 20 new species of Dermatobranchus

The phylogenetic relationships amongst the Arminidae were analysed based upon morphological characters of 58 presently described species or nudibranchs, including 35 previously described Arminidae and 20 new species of Dermatobranchus. From the literature review and anatomical examinations, 43 characters were considered for 78 taxa. These characters were polarized using Berthella canariensis as the outgroup taxon and the type species of several other genera identified from recent publications. The resulting phylogeny supports the monophyly of Arminidae, Dermatobranchus, Doridina, and Proctonotidae. The paraphyly of the Arminina is further demonstrated in this study. Two previously described, but poorly known, species of Indo-Pacific Armina are redescribed, Armina magnaBaba, 1955 and Armina paucifoliataBaba, 1955. The anatomy and taxonomic status of nine previously described species of Dermatobranchus were examined in this study. The anatomy of Dermatobranchus pustulosus (van Hasselt, 1824) has been overlooked since Bergh (1888) illustrated the radula of van Hasselt's specimen. It is redescribed and its range is extended to several new localities in the western Pacific. Dermatobranchus pulcherrimus Miller & Willan, 1986 is considered here as a new synonym of Dermatobranchus rubidus (Gould, 1852). The following 20 species of Dermatobranchus are new and are described in the present paper: Dermatobranchus albineus sp. nov., Dermatobranchus arminus sp. nov., Dermatobranchus caesitius sp. nov., Dermatobranchus caeruleomaculatus sp. nov., Dermatobranchus cymatilis sp. nov., Dermatobranchus dendonephthyphagus sp. nov., Dermatobranchus diagonalis sp. nov., Dermatobranchus earlei sp. nov., Dermatobranchus fasciatus sp. nov., Dermatobranchus funiculus sp. nov., Dermatobranchus kalyptos sp. nov., Dermatobranchus kokonas sp. nov., Dermatobranchus leoni sp. nov., Dermatobranchus microphallus sp. nov., Dermatobranchus oculus sp. nov., Dermatobranchus phyllodes sp. nov., Dermatobranchus piperoides sp. nov., Dermatobranchus rodmani sp. nov., Dermatobranchus semilunus sp. nov., and Dermatobranchus tuberculatus sp. nov. Eighteen of these new taxa are found in the Indo-Pacific tropics and two are found in temperate South Africa, D. albineus and D. arminus. Unique combinations of morphological characters distinguish these as new species of Dermatobranchus. Several species that are externally similar have radically divergent internal morphology, are members of different clades of Dermatobranchus, and represent cryptic species. Especially important is the radular morphology, which shows remarkable diversity of form, probably related directly to the diversification of feeding of members of this clade on various octocorals.     

Revision of the genus Diplotaxis (Brassicaceae) in the Cape Verde Islands, W Africa

The genus Diplotaxis (Brassicaceae) in the Cape Verde Islands, W Africa, is revised. Nine taxa are accepted, of which five are described as new: D. antoniensis sp. nov., D. glauca, D. gorgadensis sp. nov., D. gorgadensis ssp. brochmannii ssp. nov., D. gracilis, D. hirta, D. sundingii sp. nov., D. varia sp. nov., and D. vogelii . All species are suffruticose, yellow-flowered perennials and belong to sect. Catocarpum . The species are endemic to the Cape Verde Islands, but show morphological and karyolog-ical affinity to the N African and Mediterranean D. harra s. lat. Analyses of morphological variation in 90 populations (400 plants) revealed a complex pattern, in particular in vegetative characters, most likely evolved by parallel ecogeographical differentiation in different islands. The chromosome number is 2n = 26 (n = 13) in the five taxa investigated. Self-pollination experiments indicate that the species are self-incompatible and outcrossing. Experimental F₁ hybrids with full seed set after open pollination were obtained in 30 interspecific combinations, and the taxa are considered fully interfertile. The taxa are thus isolated mainly by geographical and partly by ecological barriers and have evolved by vicariant evolution (most islands) and adaptive radiation (one island).     

Precocious sexual dimorphism and the Lilliput effect in Neo‐Tethyan Ostracoda (Crustacea) through the Permian–Triassic boundary

The Elikah River section spanning the Lopingian (Late Permian) to the Griesbachian (Early Triassic) time interval in the Central Alborz Mountains (north Iran) was sampled for ostracod analysis. We report 79 species distributed among 38 genera. Four new species are described: Acratia? pervagata Forel sp. nov., Microcheilinella alborzella Forel sp. nov., Basslerella superarella Crasquin sp. nov. and Cavellina nesenensis Crasquin sp. nov. The ontogeny of 13 species is described and sexual dimorphism in the genus Microcheilinella is here undoubtedly recognized for the first time. Six species show precocious sexual dimorphism of their carapace as early as A‐5 juvenile. The Lilliput effect is for the first time recorded and quantified for two species. Rare long‐time span Palaeocopida species, known throughout the entire Permian, document relatively long‐term evolution, including the size and growth rate modifications associated with the earlier appearance of carapace sexual dimorphism through time. These patterns might be related to the Guadalupian–Lopingian events and/or to climatic modifications occurring during the Permian interval.     

Centaurea rahiminejadii sp. nov. and a new record in the genus Centaurea (Asteraceae,Cardueae–Centaureinae) from Iran

A new species, Centaurea rahiminejadii Negaresh (Asteraceae) in C. sect. Cynaroides Boiss. ex Walp., is described and illustrated from the Kermanshah Province, west Iran. It is morphologically similar to Centaurea regia Boiss. subsp. regia. Diagnostic morphological of this and closely related taxa are discussed and presented. The ecology, habitat and conservation status of the new species are also described. In addition, Centaurea regia subsp. cynarocephala (Wagenitz) Wagenitz is reported as a new record to the flora of Iran. Finally, the geographic distribution of the new species and closely related species is presented and mapped.