https://rostaniha.areeo.ac.ir/ Rostaniha en daily 1 Mon, 22 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0330 Mon, 22 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0330 https://rostaniha.areeo.ac.ir/article_132886.html Leaf trichomes are important components of plants in systematics, morphology, defense mechanisms, and ecological interactions. In this study, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine leaf trichomes of 15 species of Ehretiaceae (Boraginales), including representative species of the genera Bourreria, Ehretia, Halgania, Lepidocordia, Rochefortia, and Tiquilia. The results showed a variety of trichome types, both glandular and non-glandular, among the studied species. Some species also had glabrous leaves. The results showed differences in morphology, density, and distribution of trichomes within and between genera. The distribution of trichomes on the leaf surface of some species is dense and in others very sparse. Leaf trichomes also varied in size, and in some species, both short and long hairs were observed. Some trichomes have appendages on their surface and their shape is varied. The results of this study highlight the diversity of trichomes and their potential use as a taxonomic tool to determine the precise position of the arrays of this family. https://rostaniha.areeo.ac.ir/article_133842.html Carpinus betulus L. (Betulaceae), a tree about 30 meters high that is distributed in Europe, Caucasus, Turkey, and Iran. These trees, with their wide distribution, are always undergoing changes in their appearance traits. For this purpose, the variation of leaf and fruit morphological traits in 13 populations of the C. betulus (hornbeam) located in four provinces (Golestan, Mazandaran, Guilan, and E. Azarbaijan) of Iran was investigated. In July 2005, 10 trees were selected from natural habitats, maintaining a minimum distance of 100 meters between them. Random samples of leaves, catkins, bracts, and fruits were collected from the outer parts of the crown. The evaluation of morphological traits across populations revealed significant differences in most traits, except for the number of veins, beak length and width, seed weight, and the number of seed sulcate. Principal component analysis indicated that the first component placed greater emphasis on leaf area, bract length and width, beak width, and seed width. The second component highlighted leaf width, catkin width, petiole length, and beak length as key traits, while the third component prioritized catkin length, seed weight, and the number of seed sulcate. Cluster analysis of the studied traits revealed that the trees sampled from 13 populations were grouped into five distinct clusters, based on variance changes in cluster formation. The findings indicated intraspecific variation in Carpinus species regarding morphological traits of leaves, seeds, bracts, and catkins. Additionally, traits such as the number of veins, beak length and width, seed weight, and the number of seed sulcate showed lower sensitivity to environmental influences, making them valuable distinguishing traits for identifying of the said species. https://rostaniha.areeo.ac.ir/article_134350.html In the present paper, a new alien species, namely, Bidens subalternans (Asteraceae), was found growing at the gardens in the Marvdasht and Eqlid located in Fars Province (Iran). This species is native to S. America, likely being introduced to Iran through international transport of goods, agricultural products or via barbed fruits attached to cloths or personal items (possibly from China or Europe). It may have initially entered southern Iran and subsequently spread to other regions, especially Northern provinces, through fruit transportation. Mature plant specimens, along with capitulum and achenes, were collected from its growth sites in 2025. Species identification was based on detailed morphological studies and using authoritative taxonomic keys by the flora Europea. This species bears considerable morphological resemblance to B. bipinnata, which has been more frequently reported in Iran, and can be distinguished mainly by leaf shape, the number and angle of the pappus awns on the fruit, and capitulum characteristics. The current distribution of this species in Iran is limited to gardens, particularly pomegranate orchards, where it occurs as a weed. Phenological observation in its natural habitat indicated that, the plant life cycle in these gardens begins with germination in May-June, while flowering and fruiting occur mainly during the summer. Further studies are recommended to accurately determine its distribution range and assess potential ecological risks.  https://rostaniha.areeo.ac.ir/article_134364.html The genus Dianthus L. (Caryophyllaceae) with approximately 600 species, is one of the important genera of the family, distributed across Europe, Asia, and Africa. This study aimed to investigate and characterize the pollen diversity of 14 taxa of the genus Dianthus (sect. Fimbriati) from various regions of Iran, with the objective of providing further insight into taxonomic and identification challenges within this group based on palynological data. The pollen grains were studied using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Eighteen pollen characteristics such as size, shape, surface ornamentation, type and number of apertures, and their dimensions were examined. The data were analyzed using Past software and phylogenetic trees were constructed. The results showed that, D. libanotis and D. orientalis subsp. gorganicus were distinguished by their unique features for instance the distance between the pores (G) separated D. libanotis, while the large polar diameter (B), small equatorial diameter (C), and number of pores (M) differentiated D. orientalis subsp. Gorganicus from other taxa. Pollen heteromorphism in both size and shape was reported here for the first time within the Caryophyllaceae. Results from PCA and clustering analyses of pollen characteristics were consistent and supported each others. The study also revealed that, polar diameter, equatorial diameter, distance between pores and number of pores are among the most significant variables for distinguishing of the studied taxa. This is the first comprehensive study on pollen grains of this genus in Iran.   https://rostaniha.areeo.ac.ir/article_134738.html The tribe Echinophoreae (Apiaceae) comprises six genera and 28 species. The distribution of this tribe extends from southwestern Asia in a southwesterly direction to Guinea in western Africa, and in India also. Despite considerable morphological diversity, the phylogenetic relationships within the tribe remain largely unresolved. The present anatomical study focuses on examining the petiole anatomical characteristics of the tribe. For this purpose, herbarium specimens of eight species from four genera were evaluated. Cluster analysis revealed two main lineages within the tribe. In one lineage, Anisosciadium orientale and Dicyclophora persica were grouped together due to their similarity in petiole shape and comparable thickness in the xylem and phloem tissues, while Thecocarpus meifolius also showed close affinity with these two species based on the shape of the petiole and the structure of the vascular bundles. In the second lineage, all species of the genus Echinophora clustered together. It seems that, the differences in the thickness of the cuticle, epidermis, phloem, and xylem are among the most important distinguishing characteristics between these two branches.   https://rostaniha.areeo.ac.ir/article_135068.html Soda rosmarinus (Bunge ex Boiss.) Akhani, is one of the characteristic xerohalophytes and a dominant species of Iranian salt marshes. This species with perennial shrub and cylindrical, succulent leaves is widely distributed in the central desert and Dasht-e Kavir, particularly in Semnan Province and due to its well-developed root system, it plays an important role in soil stabilization and the reduction of wind erosion. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi form symbiotic associations with more than 80% of plants, enhancing growth and increasing tolerance to environmental stresses. In this research arbuscular mycorrhizal biodiversity and root colonized percentage of S. rosmarinus were studied. Results revealed that, despite the low mycorrhizal colonization in the roots of S. rosmarinus, its rhizosphere harbors a diverse fungal flora and seven arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal species were identified viz. Archaeospora undulata (Sieverd.) Sieverd., G.A. Silva, B.T. Goto & Oehl, Funneliformis geosporus (T.H. Nicolson & Gerd.) C. Walker & A. Schüßler, Gigaspora albida N.C. Schenck & G.S. Sm., Glomus ambisporum G.S. Sm. & N.C. Schenck, G. macrocarpum Tul. & C. Tul., Rhizophagus aggregatus (N.C. Schenck & G.S. Sm.) C. Walker, and R. fasciculatus (Thaxt.) C. Walker & A. Schüßler, with A. undulata being reported for the first time from Iran. The results suggest that, native plants with absent or low mycorrhizal colonization in arid saline soils could play a role in promoting soil biodiversity. https://rostaniha.areeo.ac.ir/article_134663.html Micromorphological features of the leaf epidermis and stomata were studied in selected species of Ferula and Leutea from Iran using light and scanning electron microscopy (LM and SEM). The aim was to assess the taxonomic value of these characters and to compare them with recent molecular findings regarding the affinities among these genera. Stomatal dimensions, density, and index were quantified and compared among species. Ferula stenocarpa showed the longest stomata and the highest stomatal index, while F. ovina had the widest stomata and Leutea cupularis showed the lowest index. The epidermal cells were mostly irregular or polygonal, with surface textures ranging from striate to smooth or wax-covered. Most species exhibited anisocytic stomata, while F. gummosa displayed anomocytic types. These micromorphological patterns support the close relationship between Ferula and Leutea, and provide evidence consistent with the reclassification of Dorema within Ferula. The results highlight the diagnostic value of epidermal micromorphology in delimiting species and understanding phylogenetic relationships within the Apiaceae. https://rostaniha.areeo.ac.ir/article_135323.html The tribe Gnaphalieae is a moderately large group within Asteraceae, comprising approximately 178 genera and 2,102 species, predominantly distributed in temperarte regiones. This study aims to identify and describe pollen types in the tribes Gnaphalieae and Calenduleae, as well as investigating the relationship among their taxa based on pollen data. The pollen micromorphology of 10 species representing eight genera from these tribes in Iran was examined using light and scanning electron microscopy. The present study showed a noticiable variation in palynological data among Gnaphalieae and Calenduleae studied species. Three pollen types, Calendula, Lasiopogon, and Helichrysum, were identified among the studied taxa. Clustering and ordination analyses, including WARD tree, PCA and PCoA plots, revealed that, Calenduleae can be distinguished from Gnaphalieae using its tetra-zonocolporate pollen grains and pollen features such as polar axis length, spines height and the distance between spines. Furthermore, palynological data analysis revealed the significance of pollen features in identifying and delimiting species within Gnaphalieae. Similarities in pollen shape and exine ornamentation suggested that, Calenduleae may represent a sister group to Gnaphalieae. The results also indicated that, pollen morphology is a reliable tool for species delimitation the within these two tribes. https://rostaniha.areeo.ac.ir/article_135372.html During a mycological survey of declining olive trees (Olea europaea) in the Kermanshah Province (Iran) in Dec. 2022, an Aspergillus strain belonging to sect. Nidulantes of subgenus Nidulantes was recovered from symptomatic bark and xylem tissues exhibiting dieback and discoloration. Based on comprehensive morphological characterization, our strain (IRAN 5531C) was identified as A. olivicola which is mainly characterized by having greenish-brown globose cleistothecial ascomata embedded in masses of brown, thin-walled Hülle cells, and reddish-brown, stellate ascospores. The morphological identification was further confirmed through multi-locus phylogenetic analysis using sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA and β-tubulin (BenA) gene, which resulted in clustering of Iranian strain with the ex-type strain of A. olivicola (CBS 119.37) with 100% bootstrap support. BLASTn analysis of the ITS and BenA sequences, revealed 98–100% sequence identity of the strain with the CBS 119.37. The present study represents the first record of A. olivicola for the funga of Iran. https://rostaniha.areeo.ac.ir/article_135446.html This study aimed to assess the risk assessment of Commelina communis L. (Commelinaceae) in Gilan Province (North of Iran). The plant growth stages were monitored during 2024 for which a plant distribution map was prepared, and standard questions for assessing the risk of alien plants were also answered. The results showed that, C. communis was widely distributed in areas such as tea gardens, rural and forest roadsides, and riverbanks in Amlash, Lahijan, Rasht, Shaft, Fouman, Siahkal, Langrud, and Rudsar. Seed germination began in late Mar., seedling emergence occurred in early Apr., flowering started in mid-May, and peak of flowering occurred from late May to late Sept.. By late Oct., the plants were continuously flowering and bearing seeds. The weed began to dry in late Oct. and was completely dry in mid-Nov.. The final weed risk assessment score was 284.1 indicating as a "high-risk" plant. C. communis has a high vegetative growth and reproductive capacity considered as an invasive and problematic widely distributed weed in tea gardens of the said province. Therefore, continuous and systematic monitoring is essential for early detection and the prevention of its further spread. The results of this study contribute a timely planning for the effective control of this invasive plant.