NOTES ON THE GENUS CISTANCHE (OROBANCHACEAE) IN IRAN
Sh. Saeidi Mehrvarz & R. Shahi Shavvon
Received: 02.06.2008. Accepted for publication: 24.11.2008
Saeidi Mehrvarz, M. & Shahi Shavvon, R. 2008 12 31: Notes on the genus Cistanche (Orobanchaceae) in Iran. Iran. J. Bot, 14 (2): 95-99. Tehran.
The genus Cistanche Hofmmg. & Link. has seven species in Iran of which one taxon is endemic to area of “Flora
Iranica”. During reconsidering of Orobanchaceae for the Farsi version of Flora of Iran we found a new subspecies
of Cistanche which is described as C. flava (C. A. Mey.) Korsh. subsp. bicolor Saeidi & Shahi. Moreover, C.
eremodoxa Bornm., previously reported from Khorassan province, is proposed as a synonym of C. ambigua (Bunge)
G. Beck. A diagnostic key to all species of Cistanche distributed in Iran is also provided. For each species, ecology
and some taxonomic remarks are presented.
Shahryar Saeidi Mehrvarz (correspondence, e-mail: saeidimz@guilan.ac.ir) & Robabeh Shahi Shavvon,
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Guilan, P. O. Box 41335-1914, Rasht.
Key words. Cistanche, Taxonomy, new subspecies, synonymy, Iran.
( در اﻳﺮانOrobanchaceae) Cistanche ﻣﻄﺎﻟﻌﺎﺗﻲ ﺑﺮ روي ﺟﻨﺲ
. اﺳﺘﺎدﻳﺎر ﮔﺮوه زﻳﺴﺖ ﺷﻨﺎﺳﻲ داﻧﺸﮕﺎه ﮔﻴﻼن،ﺷﻬﺮﻳﺎر ﺳﻌﻴﺪي ﻣﻬﺮورز
. داﻧﺸﺠﻮي ﻛﺎرﺷﻨﺎﺳﻲ ارﺷﺪ ﮔﺮوه زﻳﺴﺖ ﺷﻨﺎﺳﻲ داﻧﺸﮕﺎه ﮔﻴﻼن،رﺑﺎﺑﻪ ﺷﺎﻫﻲ ﺷﺎوون
در راﺳﺘﺎي ﺗﺪوﻳﻦ ﺗﻴﺮه. ﮔﻮﻧﻪ اﺳﺖ ﻛﻪ ﻳﻚ ﮔﻮﻧﻪ آن اﻧﺤﺼﺎري ﻧﺎﺣﻴﻪ "ﻓﻠﻮرا اﻳﺮاﻧﻴﻜﺎ" اﺳﺖ7 در اﻳﺮان دارايCistanche ﺟﻨﺲ
ﺑﺮاي اوﻟﻴﻦ ﺑﺎر از اﻳﺮان ﮔﺰارشC. flava subsp. bicolor ﺑﺮاي ﻓﻠﻮر اﻳﺮان ﺑﻪ زﺑﺎن ﻓﺎرﺳﻲ ﻳﻚ زﻳﺮ ﮔﻮﻧﻪ ﺟﺪﻳﺪ ﺑﻨﺎمOrobanchaceae
، ﻛﻠﻴﺪ ﺷﻨﺎﺳﺎﻳﻲ. ﭘﻴﺸﻨﻬﺎد ﻣﻲﺷﻮدC. ambigua ﻛﻪ ﻗﺒﻼً از اﺳﺘﺎن ﺧﺮاﺳﺎن ﮔﺰارش ﮔﺮدﻳﺪه ﺑﻮد ﻣﺘﺮادف ﺑﺎC. eremodoxa ﻫﻤﭽﻨﻴﻦ.ﻣﻲﮔﺮدد
.وﻳﮋﮔﻴﻬﺎي اﻛﻮﻟﻮژي و ﺗﺎﻛﺴﻮ ﻧﻮﻣﻴﻜﻲ ﮔﻮﻧﻪ ﻫﺎي اﻳﻦ ﺟﻨﺲ ﺑﻴﺎن ﻣﻲﺷﻮد
Introduction
Cistanche with about 18 species is distributed in the
arid and semi-arid regions of the world (Blatter 1921;
Agrawal 1984; Musselman 1984). In Iran, this genus
contains seven species including: C. ambigua (Bunge)
Beck, C. fissa (C. A. Mey.) Beck, C. flava (C. A. Mey.)
Korsh., C. laxiflora Aitch. & Hemsl., C. ridgewayana
Aitch. & Hemsl., C. salsa (C. A. Mey.) Beck and C.
tubulosa (Schrenk) Wight. Cistanche comprises
holoparasite and perennial herbs, with alternative
leaves and flowers arranged in spike or racemes. Its
corolla is subactinomorphic and calyx lobes are
rounded at the margin. The chromosome number 2n=40
has been recorded for Cistanche by Schneeweiss et al.
(2004). Recently molecular phylogenetical studies of
some species of Cistanche including C. tubulosa and C.
salsa have revealed that they were not closely related to
each other (Moriya et al., 1995; Tomari et al., 2002;
Tomari et al., 2003). There is no detailed taxonomic
study on Cistanche in Iran except for that presented in
Flora Iranica (Rechinger, 1964), which lacks taxonomic
description of the species, but encompasses a
diagnostic key and notes on the distribution of the
species.
Gilli (1976) who considered 6 species of this genus
in Iran also presented notes on geographical
distribution of the species and an identification key to
them.
The present paper contributes to the ongoing
taxonomic revision of Cistanche in Iran.
A short Latin diagnosis, description of the new
subspecies of Cistanche flava and its differences with
the typical subspecies are presented.
Material and methods
This work is mainly based on the study of herbarium
materials deposited in main Iranian herbaria, i.e.,
IRAN. JOURN. BOT. 14 (2), 2008
Saeidi Mehrvarz & Shahi Shavvon 96
Table 1. The comparison of Cistanche flava subsp. flava and C. flava subsp. bicolor
C. flava subsp. bicolor
Characters
C. flava subsp. flava
Corolla color
pale yellow
yellow with violet limb
equal or unequal, when unequal dorsal unequal, one of the lateral lobes shorter
Shape of the calyx lobe
lobe shorter than the other lobes
than the other lobes
Pubescence of calyx lobes hairy along the margin
absent
Anther apex
obtuse
mucronate
FUHM, IRAN, TARI, TUH and author’s own
collection from wild populations which are deposited in
the herbarium of Guilan University (GUH). In addition,
the studied species were compared with type specimens
and authentic materials in the herbaria: K, B, LE and
Gazi University in Ankara. Characters were selected
from color and density of hairs on the stem and leaf;
length bracts and presence of pubescence, presence or
absence of bractlets, length of bractlets and their
pubescence; number, shape, size and pubescence of the
calyx lobes; color of flowers and anthers; capsule shape
and the number of its valves. Selected localities
representing the distribution of seven species of
Cistanche distributed in Iran are given in the appendix.
Results and Discussion
The main result of this paper is recognizing a new
subspecies of C. flava. The new subspecies is easily
distinguishable from the typical subspecies by the color of
corolla, absence of hairs on lobes of calyx and the apex of
anthers. The comparison of the material of the new
subspecies with the type specimen in LE (Azerbaijan,
between Baku and Salijanami, 1947.11.7, Novopokrosky
899) also confirmed that the differences are considerable
enough to represent a new taxon. The differences between
two subspecies are shown in Table 1.
Cistanche flava (C. A. Mey.) Korsh. subsp.
bicolor Saeidi & Shahi, subsp. nov.
Type:. Iran, Semnan, Touran protected area, 3 km from
Chah-jam to Toroud, 1100 m, 1978.4.23, Freitag &
Mozaffarian 28437 (holo. TARI). (Fig. 1).
Calyx lobis lateralibus quam ceteris brevioribus (nec
lobis dorsalibus quam ceteris brevioribus), margine
glabris (nec pubescentibus). Corolla flava, limbo
violaceo (nec pallide flavo). Anthera apice mucronata
(nec obtusa).
Flowering and fruiting time. Apr.-Jun.
Notes on the ecology, distribution and affinities of
Cistanche in Iran.
Cistanche tubulosa is a highly polymorphic species
which is adapted to different ecological conditions such
as dry habitats, sea coasts and sand dunes with
sufficient water supply and prefers clay, gypsum and
salty soils. For various reasons, this species has a wide
distribution and many hosts in Iran. It is the most
frequent species of Cistanche in Iran and in the world.
Cistanche tubulosa is closest to C. flava by having
flower color, calyx shape and some other characters
similar to that, but there are distinct differences
between them. The bracts of C. tubulosa are oblate or
ovate-lanceolate, while the bracts of C. flava are oblate
or lanceolate-linear. Also the bractlets in C. tubulosa
are smaller than the calyx, whereas they are as long as
calyx or longer than the calyx in C. flava. Cistanche
flava has a restricted distribution in center of Iran.
Cistanche laxiflora is adapted to different ecological
conditions. This species lives on non-saline conditions,
it also thrives under saline soil and is widely distributed
through the central region of Iran. Its type specimen is
collected from Harirud river in Afghanistan. This
species is very similar to C. tubulosa, but C. laxiflora
has lax inflorescence, while C. tubulosa has dense
inflorescence. Furthermore, C. laxiflora differs from C.
tubulosa in length and width of inflorescence and its
proportion to plant height. This species is endemic to
the area of Flora Iranica (Rechinger1964).
Cistanche salsa is adapted to sandy and salty soils
and coast of salty rivers. It is a halophyte plant and
Anabasis is known as its only host. This species differs
from C. ambigua in corolla color, presence or absence
of woolly-hairs on the dorsal surface of bract and its
size.
The species C. ambigua and C. eremodoxa were
recorded as separate species in the Flora Iranica, but the
occurrence of C. ambigua was considered as doubtful
in Iran (Rechinger 1964). These species are said to
differ in presence or absence of hairs at the margin of
corolla lobes. Cistanche eremodoxa was reported by
Bornmüller (1936) from Khorassan province in Iran;
while Gilli (1976) and Schischkin (2000) considered it
as a synonym of C. ambigua. Based on the examined
herbarium specimens and observation of the type
specimen in Berlin (B), it is reasonable to propose C.
eremodoxa as a synonym of C. ambigua. A list of host
plants of different species of Cistanche in Iran is given
in Table 2.
97 Cistanche in Iran
IRAN. JOURN. BOT. 14 (2), 2008
Table 2. The host plants of different species of Cistanche in Iran.
Species
Host plants
C. tubulosa
Zygophyllum, Haloxylon, Calligonum, Prosopis, Pteropyrum, Tamarix
C. flava
Calligonum, Suaeda, Alhagi
C. laxiflora
Petropyrum, Seidlitzia
C. ambigua
Calligonum
C. salsa
Anabasis
C. ridgewayana
Tamarix
C. fissa
Artemisia
Identification key to Cistanche species
distributed in Iran
1- Flowers with no or only one bractlet C. ridgewayana
- Flowers with two bractlets
2
2. Calyx with 4-5 heteromorphic lobes, deeply excised
on the side of rachis and back lobe in form of small
sharp tooth or the lobe absolutely absent
C. fissa
- Calyx with 5 isomorphic lobes
3
3. Bracts woolly along the edges. Anthers attenuate at
base and aristate at apex
4
- Bracts glabrous or rarely hairy along the edges.
Anthers roundish at base and obtuse, mucronate, or
rarely acuminate at apex
5
4. Corolla yellow, with yellowish-violet limbs. Bracts
woolly on dorsal surface, more than two times as long
as calyx. Bractlets lanceolate-linear
C. salsa
- Corolla cream or white, with bluish-violet limbs.
Bracts glabrous on dorsal surface; equal to or 1.5 times
as long as calyx. Bractlets oblong-linear
C. ambigua
5. Flowers lax. Inflorescence 1.5-3.5 times as long as
width. Plants at least three times taller than the
inflorescence
C. laxiflora
- Flowers dense. Inflorescence 3.5-6 times as long as
width. Plants 2-3 times as tall as the inflorescence
6
6. Bracts ovate or oblong–lanceolate, slightly longer to
slightly shorter than the calyx
C. tubulosa
- Bracts lanceolate or oblong-linear, much longer than
the calyx, as long as or longer than the corolla (C.
flava)
7
7. Corolla pale yellow. Calyx lobes equal or unequal,
when unequal the abaxial lobe shorter than the others,
hairy along edges. Anthers obtuse at apex
C. flava subsp. flava
- Corolla yellow with violet limb. Calyx lobes unequal,
one of the lateral lobes shorter than others, glabrous.
Anthers mucronate at apex
C. flava subsp. bicolor
Appendix:
C. tubulosa:
Esfahan: 23 km NE Kashan, 750 m, Babakhanloo,
Amin & Bazarghan 17821.Yazd: 54 km Bafgh to
Sheitoor, near Gazestan, 2200 m, Assadi & Bazghosha
56076; Ardakan, Toot and Anjirvand, 1800m,
Mozaffarian 77411; Near Yazd, 1000m, Rechinger
2704. Fars: 43 km from Lar to Bastak, 400m, Assadi &
Sardabi 41846; Lar, 800m, Iranshahr 32311 (IRAN);
Bandare Lenghe, Tonbe koochak Island, 10 m,
Mozaffarian 63586; Shatvar Island, Aminirad 33505
(IRAN); Bostan, Banifarur Island, Terme & Karavar
26565 (IRAN); Bandar Abbas, Bandare Khamir, Shahi
& Saeidi 13229. Bushehr: Farsi Island, Tehrani &
Sangari 26566 (IRAN); Dayyer, Morghi Island,
Tehrani & Sangari 26567 (IRAN). Khuzestan: Near
Ahvaz, Mobayen 8831 (IRAN); Mahshahr, Boune
Island, Tehrani & Eskandari 33506/1 (IRAN); NE
Susangherd, Farhe region, 40 m, Mozaffarian 53474
(IRAN); NE Bostan, around Misho Dagh mountain, 50200 m, Mozaffarian 53740 (IRAN). Kerman: Ahmad
Abad, Iranshahr 32314 (IRAN); Jiroft, Maraz, 18 km
SE Pimjan, 750-900 m, Tehrani & Mousavi 32304
(IRAN); Jiroft, Ghaleye Ghanj to Shams Abad, Shah
Abad, 450 m, Mousavi & Tehrani s. n. (IRAN);
Bemani, Shah Mardi, Mousavi & Iranshahr 32321
(IRAN); 53 km NE Sirjan, 1730 m, with no name of
collecter 6839. Balouchestan: Zahedan to Khash,
Hakimi 32303 (IRAN); Khash, ca. 1500 m, Assadi
22958; Moksoukhteh, 25 km Gasht road, 480 m,
Foroughi 10825; 17 km Iranshahr, Bam road, 550 m,
Foroughi 10652; 2 km SE Iranshahr, 580 m, Runemark,
Assadi & Sardabi 22291; 64 km Bazman, 640 m,
Runemark, Assadi & Sardabi 22593; 34 km MirJave
road to Khash, Runemark, Assadi & Sardabi 22644;
Iranshar to Sarbaz, around main road, Ghahreman &
Mozaffarian 14056; Iranshahr to Bazman, 30 km WN
Bazman, Govanz, 1500 m, Mousavi & Tehrani s. n.
(IRAN); Saravan, Iranshahr 32320 (IRAN).
Khorassan: SW Tabas, new road, Tabas to Yazd, 1000
m, Raafi & Zanghooei 26346 (FUHM); Dashte Lut,
South of Tabas, 590 m, Leonard 32302 (IRAN).
Semnan: 21 km SW Raze, 880 m, Freitag &
Mozaffarian 28655; 82 km Sabzevar to Mayamey,
Befor Abbas Abad, 930 m, Assadi & Maassoumi
55902; Shahrud, 8 km Ahmad Abad, near Zaman
Abad, 950 m, Iranshahr s. n. (IRAN); West of Dashte
Lut, 750 m, Leonard 32319 (IRAN).
IRAN. JOURN. BOT. 14 (2), 2008
Saeidi Mehrvarz & Shahi Shavvon 98
Fig. 1. Cistanche flava subsp. bicolor. A) Inflorescence (scale bar = 0.5 cm); B) stem with scale leaves (scale bar =
0. 5 cm); C) bractlets (scale bar = 1 cm); D) bract (scale bar = 0. 7 cm); E) one flower with calyx (arrow indicate the
lateral lobe; scale bar = 1 cm); F) Stamens and ovary (scale bar = 1 cm); G) Anthers (scale bar = 3 cm); H) Stigma
(scale bar = 1 cm); I) Fruit (scale bar = 1 cm); J) longitudinal section of fruit (scale bar = 1 cm).
Tehran: Ghom lake, 800 m, Jadidi 25598 a; Kavir
protected region, 7 km SE Karvansaraye Shah Abbas,
Wendelbo, Alla & Cobham 10905; to Ghom, around of
Ghom lake, 800 m, Sangari, Tehrani, Terme & Karavar
s. n. (IRAN); Kavir protected region, in Ghom lake,
750-800 m, Runemark, Foroughi & Assadi 19548;
Hoze Soltan lake, Shahi & Saeidi 13242.
C. flava subsp. flava:
Semnan: Shahrud, to Ahmad abad, Iranshahr s. n.;
Sharud, Kalat Hizomi, Shahi & Saeidi 13230.
Azerbaijan,
between
Baku
and
Salijanami,
Novopokrosky 899 (LE !, Type).
99 Cistanche in Iran
IRAN. JOURN. BOT. 14 (2), 2008
Semnan: protected region of Turan, 3 km Chahjam to
Turud, 1100 m, Freitag & Mozaffarian 28437.
specimens. We are very grateful to Dr. M. Assadi for
allowing us to use facilities at Research Institute of
Forests and Rangelands.
C. laxiflora:
References
C. flava subsp. bicolor:
Fars: Lar, 500 m, Foroughi 1142. Khuzestan:
Mahshahr, Bune Island, Tehrani & Eskandari 33506
(IRAN). Baluchestan: near coast, Tehrani & Mousavi
s. n. (IRAN); Iranshahr, to Bazman, Sharif 32307/2
(IRAN). Khorassan: 70 km Neishabour to Kashmar,
Assadi & Mozaffarian 35494. Tehran: Kavir protected
region, Kuhsiah, Shah Abbas karvansaraye, 1100-1300
m, Rechinger 50123; Hoze Soltan lake, Shahi & Saeidi
13243; Siah kuh: Karvan-Sarai Shah Abbas, 340 44’ N,
520 10‘, 1100-1300 m, Rechinger, 50123 (B.!).
Afghanistan, Harirud Valley, Aitchinson (K. !, Type).
C. salsa:
Azerbaijan: Jolfa-Aras, 790 m, Foroughi 5701.
Esfahan: between Faridan & Esfahan, Ghahreman,
Sheikholeslmi & Aghustin 8825 (TUH). Semnan:
Shahru, Ahmad Abad, to Darb Ahangh, Iranshahr
32300 (IRAN). Tehran: Kvir region, 80 km NW Shah
Abbasi Karvansaraye, 900 m, Wendelbo, Alla &
Cobham 10847; Kavir protected regions in Ghom lake,
750-800 m, Runemark, Foroughi & Assadi 19548.
Turkey, B5 Kayseri: Sultan Marshes, Oztekin 1491.
Novopokrosky (LE.!, Type).
C. ambigua:
Semnan: Chahjam, 1100 m, Freitag & Mozaffarian
28414. Esfahan: 60 km North of Naein, 1800 m,
Iranshahr 32313 (IRAN). Tehran: protected region of
Kavir, Talhe, 900-1000 m, Runemark, Assadi &
Foroughi 19539. Gabriel 193b (B. !, Lectotype).
C. fissa:
Semnan: Shahrud, Ahmad Abad, Rechinger 50654.
C. ridgewayana:
Guilan: 43 km Rudbar to Gilvan, 550 m, Assadi &
Shah Mohammadi 60176. Kerman: Bahram Abad,
near Kabutar Khan, Rechinger, Esfandiari & Aellen
32301 (IRAN). Kerman, Inter desert, near Kushkuh,
Bornmuller 3907 (K. !). Baluchestan: 80 km Zahedan
to Bam road, 1350 m, Assadi 22721. Semnan:
Damghan, 1300-1400 m, Rechinger 52162. Tehran:
Absard, Zand 13241. Afghanistan, Harirud Valley,
Aitchinson (K. !, Type).
Acknowledgments
We are indebted to Dr. Ludwig (herbarium of Berlin,
Germany) and Dr. Irina Illarionova (herbarium of st.
Petresburg, Russia) for digitalized pictures of the type
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robabeh shahi