Onosma elymaitica Attar & Mirtadz., 2025

Attar, Farideh, Mirtadzadini, Mansour, Binzet, Rıza & Sotoodeh, Arash, 2025, New taxa of Onosma L. (Boraginaceae, Lithospermeae) from Iran, Adansonia (3) 47 (16), pp. 299-310 : 304-305

Onosma elymaitica Attar & Mirtadz. , sp. nov.

( Figs 4; 5)

TYPE MATERIAL. — Iran • W Ilam, c. 15 km to Badreh from Ilam; 844 m alt.; 33°36’58”N, 46°09’6.83”E; 15.V.2015; Attar & Zamani 46138; holotype: TUH !

DIAGNOSIS. — Differt ab O. bilabiata Boiss. : folia basalia ellipticoorbicularia, excluso petiolo 15-20 × 13-18 mm (nec oblanceolatoobovata, petiolo excluso 25-100 × 7-25 mm); corolla ± 15 mm longa (nec 2 5- 30 mm longa); corolla flava, in sicco coerulea (nec flavoalba et in sicco coerulea); filament ± 2.5 mm longa (nec 2-3 mm longa); nuculae 7 mm longae, distincte rugosae (nec 6 mm longae, foveolato-punctatae).

RECOGNITION. — Onosma elymaitica sp. nov. is closely related to O. bilabiata which belongs to the sect. Onosma subsect. Asterotrich a ( Riedl 1967; Khatamsaz 2002). The new species is distinguished from O. bilabiata by the shape and size of basal leaves, size, and color of the corolla in a dry state and nutlet characters ( Table 3 ).

DISTRIBUTION, ECOLOGY AND PHENOLOGY. — This species is collected from a hillside small area near Ilam. Vegetation is limited to annual grasses and scattered shrubs and bushes. Due to low elevation, summer is too warm and severe for perennial plants in this region. The following species are presented in their habitat: Amygdalus haussknechtii (C.K.Schneider.) Bornm. var. pubescens Bornm. , Anchusa strigosa Labill. , Bromus tectorum L., B. danthoniae Trin. in C.A.Mey. var. danthoniae , Cerastium inflatum Link ex Desf. , C. intricata Boiss. subsp. kermanshahensis Wagenitz , Cephalaria dichaetophora Boiss. , Cousinia jaccobsii Rech.f. , C. calocephala Jaub. & Spach , Daphne mucronata Royle , Ferulago angulata Schlecht. & Boiss. subsp. angulata , Heteranthelium piliferum (Banks & Soland.) Hochst. , Onopordon carduchorum Bornm. & Beauv. , Onosma albo-rosea Fisch. & C.A.Mey. var. albo-rosea , O. albo-rosea Fisch. & C.A.Mey. var. macrocarpa Bornm. , Stachys benthamiana Boiss. , Quercus brantii Lindl. , var. persica (Jaub. & Spach) Zohary , Stipa sp. Flowering April to May, fruiting May to June.

ETYMOLOGY. — The specific epithet refers to the type locality “Elyma or Elymais” the ancient name of today Ilam [and most parts of Khuzestan] province in the west of Iran.

CONSERVATION STATUS. — Onosma elymaitica sp. nov. is restricted to a very small area near Ilam and is known from a single, small population. Based on its limited AOO, occurrence at one location, and an inferred continuing decline in habitat quality, we assess it as Endangered (EN) under criterion B2ab(iii) (IUCN 2012).

DESCRIPTION

Perennial, woody at base, up to 25 cm high, with horizontal stolon, with several sterile rosettes at the base. Stem erectascending, covered with white appressed setae. Leaves of sterile shoots broad elliptic, shortly mucronate, blade 15-20 × 13-18 mm, petiole 6-15 cm long; basal leaves of flowering shoots elliptic-orbicular, acute, 15-18 mm long, 7-12 mm wide, shortly petiolate; middle and upper leaves obovate, remote, subsessile; indumentum yellowish-greyish; upper surface consists of indistinctly tubercle-based appressed very dense setae; lower surface covered by lax tubercled setae; tubercles stellate hairy, rays long and numerous; between setae shortly pubescent. Cymes scorpioid, many-flowered, 3.5-5 cm long in fruiting time. Bracts lanceolate, 10 × 4 mm. Pedicels setose, to 5 mm long in fruit. Calyx 10 × 3 mm, accrescent at fruiting time, 15-17 mm long, lobes broad lanceolate, divided to near the base, outside densely setose, tubercles with irregular stellate hairs, pubescent between them, inside similar to outside but sparse. Corolla cylindrical to indistinctly campanulate, c. 15 mm long, pubescent outside, at first deep yellow, becoming pink, red, and blue in the upper part or becoming blue; lobes triangular, acute, 2.5 mm wide, 0.5 mm long, glabrous inside. Annulus 0.5 mm wide, glabrous, lobulated-crescent. Anthers included, 6 mm long. Filaments c. 2.5 mm long, arising from approximately the middle of the corolla. Nutlets 7 × 5 mm, ovate, three-faced, milky-white, irregularly deeply rugose, slightly dorsal keel, with a middle vein on the adaxial surface, shortly beaked ( Figs 4; 5; 8).