Bufonia darvishii (Caryophyllaceae), a novel endemic species from
Bakhtiari Mountains, Iran
Abstract
A new sub (alpine) species of Bufonia sect. Longipedicellata from the
Zagros Mountains in west Iran is described and illustrated here. It
colonizes mountain slopes with gravelly, stony, and scree substrates in
one locality of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, preferably with a
western and north-west orientation, at elevations between 2700 to 3100 m
a.s.l. The new species, B. darvishii, is diagnosed against the
morphologically similar B. macrocarpa. The two species share
similarities such as filiform and long pedicels, a lax panicle-cyme
inflorescence, a distribution pattern of trichomes, and long peduncles.
However, the new species stands out with semi-shrub life form, its
greater height, retention of the previous year’s stems, cymes bearing
more flowers, orbicular petals, larger petals, a broadly ovate ovary,
larger sepals with more pronounced nervation, shorter pedicels, larger
flowers, etc. B. darvishii is proposed to be Critically Endangered (CR)
following the guidelines of the IUCN.