Gagea robusta Zarrei & Wilkin

Zarrei, M., Wilkin, P., Ingrouille, M.J. & Chase, M.W. 2010. Gagea robusta (Liliaceae), a new species from Flora Iranica area. Kew Bulletin 65: 327. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-010-9196-1

Type

Iran, Prov. Tehran, Firuzkuh towards Tehran, mountains around Chehel-Cheshmeh restaurant, 35°41′42″N 52°31′92″E, 2130 m, 9 May 2007, Zarrei 1318 (holotypusK!,isotypus TUH!).

Morphology General Habit

Perennial bulbiferous plants, solitary, never clump-forming, (110 –) 130 – 240 (– 290) mm tall

Vegetative Multiplication Bulbs

Bulbs ovoid, 13 – 25 mm in diam × 20 – 30 mm long; tunics fibrose-reticulate to coarse-reticulate, dark grey to light brown, neck (10 –) 30 – 60 (– 120) mm long, coarse-reticulate, multilayered, extending up to soil line or beyond; bulbils on bulb absent

Morphology Roots

Roots thin, cord-like roots rarely present (only in Zarrei 1157)

Morphology Stem

Stem erect, subterranean part (10 –) 30 – 50 (– 90) mm long, aerial part (10 –) 20 – 90 (– 155) × (0.8 –) 1.1 – 1.5 (– 2.0) mm; puberulent

Morphology Leaves

basal leaf one, up to two times longer than inflorescence, (110 –) 130 – 190 (– 390) × 1.0 – 1.6 (– 2.3) mm, puberulent Cauline leaves 2 – 5 (– 8), verticillate, the lowest one lanceolate, flattened to semicircular in transverse section, gradually narrowing towards apex, enveloping stem at the base, shorter than or equal to the inflorescence, lamina puberulent to densely villous, margins strigose-ciliate; upper bracteate leaves shorter, strigose-ciliate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracteoles

Bracteoles absent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence umbellate, (2 –) 4 – 6 (– 8)-flowered, pedicels unequal, erect, longest pedicels (15 –) 20 – 45 (– 70) mm long, densely villous or puberulent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal

Tepals (10 –) 13 – 17 × 2 – 3 mm, lanceolate, acuminate at the tip, yellow inside, green outside, with a wide white margin, villous-ciliate at the apex margins, surface glabrous, mostly puberulent, particularly at the base

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments

Filaments 3.0 – 6.0 mm long, anther narrowly oblong, 1.5 – 3.0 × 0.7 – 1.5 mm, yellow

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 2 – 5 mm long × 1.3 –3.0 mm in diam., cylindric, style 4 – 5 mm long, as long as to two times longer than ovary; stigma capitate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule oblong in outline shape, truncate; seeds thinly triquetrous with translucent margins

Distribution

This species occurs from northern and northeastern Iran to western and central Afghanistan

Ecology

This new species is widely distributed in Iran, but it is scattered (Fig. 2A). Two localities were also recorded from Afghansitan (Fig. 2A) based on herbarium specimens. One was collected from around Bamian (Hedge & Wendelbo W4613) and the second one collected from Ghowr (Köie 4274). It has been mostly observed in open habitats with no shrubs or trees. However, Furse 7187 was collected from woodland with scarce Juniperusexcelsa Wall. trees. Zarrei 1172 was collected from foothills with some shrubs of Berberis integerrima Bunge and rarely Juniperus excelsa trees. The following species have been observed in the locality of Zarrei 1172: Gagea kunawurensis (Royle) Greuter (an accepted name for G. stipitata Merckl. ex Bunge according to Zarrei et al.2010c), G. reticulata, G. iranica Zarrei & Zarre, G. vegeta Vved., Fritillaria raddeana Regel, Artemisia sieberi Bess., Tulipa montana Lindl. var. montana, Hyacinthus litwinovii Czerniak., Poa bulbosa L., Muscari neglectum Guss. ex Ten., Juniperus excelsa, and Berberis integerrima. Artemisia steppe is the preferred habitat of this newly discovered species (Fig. 3A). Soils with a high percentage of clay covered by Poa bulbosa are mostly preferred. However, it has been observed on steep scree-covered slopes.

Conservation

The extent of occurrence (EOO) of this species was estimated to be 25000 km2 based on Fig. 2A. Twelve localities support Gagearobusta based on the herbarium specimens collected to date. However, fieldwork suggests populations are small, comprising only a few individuals with an estimate of between 1000 and 10,000 individuals appearing likely. These data suggest a possible conservative provisional IUCN Red List category of near threatened (NT) (IUCN 2001). Although some known populations such as Zarrei & Zarre 1032 and Akhani 10229, are in protected areas, most populations are under grazing pressure. Further research on the conservation status of this species is needed, in particular to discover the degree of threat posed by grazing.

Note

This new species was previously identified as Gagea reticulata (Akhani 10229 in W by H. Akhani) and/or G. setifolia (Hedge & Wendelbo W4613 in GB by A. I. Vvedensky).