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.     

Astragalus sect. Trachycercis (Fabaceae) in Iran

A diagnostic key, and new data are provided for seven species of Astragalus sect. Trachycercis , which occur within the area covered by the Flora of Iran. Astragalus brevipedunculatus Ranjbar is described as new, and A. armeniacus Boiss. is reported as new for the flora of Iran. The micromorphology of the seed coat surface of ten Astragalus taxa has been studied by SEM. Considerably different types of sculpturing at species level and similarities between related taxa were observed. In addition, differences between A . sect. Trachycercis and the closely related sections A . sect. Erioceras and A. sect. Wettsteiniana are discussed. Astragalus durandianus , A. pseudoshebarensis and A. shebarensis , which all have strongly inflated pods, are transferred from A . sect. Erioceras to A. sect. Wettsteiniana. Astragalus brevipedunculatus sp. nov., described from a small region near Aras River in Iran, is the only geographically isolated species of the section. Members of the section prefer habitats from coastal dune climates of the Azarbaijan Sharqi Province to the Armenian and Azarbaijan frontiers, although possibly also growing in the adjacent southern parts of Armenia and Azarbaijan. Astragalus brevipedunculatus sp. nov. is the only species of the section in Iran and neighboring countries that has few pairs of leaflets and is completely glabrous. The new species should be considered as a 'Critically Endangered' (CR) following the IUCN criteria. A distribution map for A. brevipedunculatus and A. armeniacus is presented.     

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.     

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 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, 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.     

Astragalus neo-assadianus (Fabaceae), a new species in sect. Alopecuroidei from Iran

Astragalus neo-assadianus (Fabaceae), a new species endemic to Iran, is described and illustrated. This species belongs to A. sect . Alopecuroidei and is distinct and interesting among the Iranian species. It is confined to the north-eastern part of Iran (Khorasan Province) and only known from a single collection close to the Turkmenistan frontier.  © 2003 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2003, 143 , 197–200.     

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 hakkianus a new species of Astragalus (Fabaceae) from N.W. Iran

A new species of the genus Astragalus, namely A. hakkianus Bagheri, Maassoumi & Rahimin. is described and illustrated from NW Iran. It is most closely related to A. peresh­khoranicus Maassoumi & F. Ghahrem. and A. chehreganii Zarre & Podlech. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

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.     

Sero-systematics ofCytisus sect.Trianthocytisus (Fabaceae)

The serological reaction of seed proteins provides evidence for a partly new systematic arrangement ofCytisus sect.Trianthocytisus and ofCytisus s.l. Proposed modifications agree with recent advances in morphological taxonomy. Sect.Trianthocytisus includes only two species,C. villosus andC. aeolicus. Its position is central within the genus, and this fact agrees with the proposed retypification ofCytisus (type species:C. villosus).C. emeriflorus, formerly included in the same section, constitutes the monospecific sect.Emeroides, which is intermediate towards the genusLembotropis. This is serologically isolated and includes onlyL. nigricans. It is confirmed thatC. sessilifolius should be removed from the genusCytisus as a monospecific genus:Cytisophyllum Lang which is closely allied toHesperolaburnum and toPodocytisus, the most primitive genera ofGenisteae.     

Some remarks on the genus Astragalus sect. Incani in Iran

New findings are given for the Astragalus sect. Incani , which occurs within the area covered by the Flora of Iran. Astragalus wojciechowskianus Ranjbar is described as a new species. A. procerus Boiss. & Hausskn . , A. cottonianus Aitch. & Baker, A. achundovii Grossh., A. orduabadensis Grossh. and A. glaucophyllus Bunge are reported as new records for the flora of Iran .   © 2003 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2003, 143 , 443–447.     

Astragalus raphaelis (Fabaceae), a critical species from Sicily and taxonomic remarks on A. sect. Sesamei

The taxonomic position of Astragalus raphaelis, a rare and misappreciated species endemic to Sicily, has been examined. In addition, its geographical distribution, ecology and conservation status, diagnostic morphological characters, pod and seed micro‐morphology and relationship with A. stella are provided. Phenetic and phylogenetic trees (based on morphological data) for A. sect Sesamei shows that A. raphaelis is a taxonomically quite isolated species, with some relationships to A. sesamoides.     

Floral morphology to discriminate taxa between and within Cytisus sect. Alburnoides, sect. Spartopsis and sect. Verzinum (Genisteae, Fabaceae)

Delimitation of sections is controversial within the genus Cytisus L. (Fabaceae, Genisteae). A morphological study has been conducted on 19 taxa from sections Alburnoides, Spartopsis and Verzinum to clarify their discrimination. Thirty-five quantitative and qualitative characters were recorded on a maximum of 15 dry or living flowers per taxon. Three multiple correspondence factor analyses (MCFA) were performed on a matrix based on 22 of the 35 recorded morphological characters to (1) compare the variability within and between individuals and (2) distinguish groups among the studied taxa. MCFA showed that both flowers sampled from the same plant or different individuals could represent the morphological variability of a taxon. MCFA also clustered the 19 taxa into three groups corresponding to sections Alburnoides, Spartopsis and Verzinum as defined by Cristofolini and Troia (Taxon 44:733–746, 2006). However, floral morphology has not been sufficient to discriminate taxa within sections. A key of the three studied sections based on floral characters is given.