Dianthus pseudocrinitus Behroozian & Joharchi, 2014

Vaezi, Jamil, Behroozian, Maryam, Memariani, Farshid & Joharchi, Mohammad Reza, 2014, Dianthus pseudocrinitus (Caryophyllaceae), a new species from Northeast of Iran identified by morphological and molecular data, Phytotaxa 156 (2), pp. 59-73 : 69-71

Dianthus pseudocrinitus Behroozian & Joharchi , sp. nov. ( Fig. 5 )

Type: — IRAN. North Khorassan Province: SW Bojnord, 13 km from Besh-Ghardash on the road towards Hesar-Hosseini, in Biu pass , 37° 21' 27.9"N, 57° 11' 34.9"E, 1758 m, 02 June 2008, Joharchi & Zangooei 40665 (holotype FUMH , isotype TARI ).

Diagnosis:— Species nova similis a D. crinito subsp. turcomanico sed differt bracteis 4–6, foliis inferioribus 1.2–1.7 mm latis, superioribus 2–2.5 mm latis, bracteis extremibus marginibus 1.1–1.5mm crassis, calycibus 20–22 mm longis, antheris 1.5–1.9 mm longis, 0.5–0.7 mm latis, caulibus singularibus vel ramosis, vaginis foliis inferioribus membraceis-herbaceis, petalis fimbriis acutis.

Description:— Perennial, woody at base, 19–44 cm long; stems scabrid-pubescent or glabrous, usually simple or sometimes branched; leaves linear, lower leaves 22.5–40 mm long and 1.25–2 mm broad, moderately thick, strict, upper leaves mostly scale-like and straw-colored, 7–10 mm long and 2–2.5 mm broad; flowers solitary; bracteoles 4(–6), one third calyx length, ovate-oblong, margin broad, membranous, 1.1–1.5 mm broad, external bracteoles 6.5–9 mm long and 3.5–5 mm broad, internal bracteoles 8.5–9.5 mm long and 5–6.5 mm broad, pale-colored, cuspidate or acuminate; calyx tubular, 20–22 mm long and 4–4.5 mm broad, distinctly nerved, teeth 7.5–8.5 mm long, lanceolate, acute or acuminate, membranous or ciliate at margin; petal limb white to pale pink, 3.5–5.5 mm long and 3–4 mm broad, ebarbulate, fringed-dissected to middle, the undissected portion 4.5 mm long and 0.3–0.5 broad; seeds dark brown to black, 4.5 mm long and 2.4 mm broad, oval.

Distribution, phenology and conservation remarks:— Dianthus pseudocrinitus occurs on the calcareous mountains of SW of Bojnord, NE of Iran at an altitude range of 1600–2300 m. The species is only distributed in some closely small communities in the region. Flowering occurs from late May to July and fruiting from August to late September. On the basis of the IUCN Red List categories and criteria ( IUCN 2013) this species is here evaluated as Critically Endangered [CR, B1ab(i,iii)].The extent of occurrence (EOO) of the new species is less than 100 km 2 (calculated 53 km 2 using GeoCAT tool; Bachman et al. 2011) with severely fragmented populations. The habitats on the mountain steppes of the area are threatened mainly by overgrazing. Thus, an urgent planning is required for conservation of the fragile ecosystem and the threatened species.

Etymology:—Refers to the vegetative similarity to D. crinitus subsp. turcomanicus (Latin, pseudocrinitus = apparently similar to crinitus).

Figures

FIGURE 5: Holotype of Dianthus pseudocrinitus [Joharchi & Zangooei 40665 (FUMH)]. Upper left: comparing of mature flowers of three taxa under study. A: D. orientalis subsp. stenocalyx; B: D. pseudocrinitus; C: D. crinitus subsp. turcomanicus.