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Molecular phylogenetic studies have had major impacts on the delineation of higher-level taxa in many plant groups. Apiaceae subfamily Apioideae, its largest subfamily, is in the process of major systematic rearrangements owing to these studies. Iran, with more than one fourth of all apioid genera, is a biodiversity hotspot for this subfamily, though the sampling of these taxa from this region has been insufficient. Currently, 111 apioid genera are recognized in Iran of which 18 including five endemics are not presented or are under-represented in previous phylogenetic studies. We used the sequences of nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and chloroplast rps16 intron (rps16) regions from 325 and 149 accessions, respectively, representing most of the known genera of Apioideae from Iran. Twenty-nine ITS and 26 rps16 sequences were newly generated for this study. Phylogenetic trees were reconstructed using Bayesian inference, Maximum likelihood, and Maximum parsimony methods. The results assign the endemic genera Ergocarpon to Echinophoreae, Lomatopodium to Selineae, Froriepia and Oliveria to Pyramidoptereae, and Stenotaenia to Tordylieae. In addition, Ormosciadium, morphologically characterized by moniliform and inflated mericarp margins, is assigned to Tordylieae. Neocryptodiscus persicus is shown to be a synonym of Prangos persica. The previous placement of Heptaptera in the Physospermopsis clade is not correct and it should be moved to the Opopanax clade. Morphological characters deemed to be of high diagnostic value are the shape of leaf segments, presence of tubers, colour of petals, and mericarp features including shape, presence of lateral or dorsal wings, and type of compression and indumentum. A diagnostic key to 19 tribes, nine subtribes and other major clades compatible with these taxonomic ranks and an updated list of genera of Apioideae occurring in Iran with their tribal and subtribal position is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was conducted in two stages to optimize in vitro propagation of Persian wild paeony. Stage 1: effect of BAP (0, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg.l-1), NAA (0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mg.l-1) and GA3 (0 and 0.5 mg.l-1) on apical bud of Paeonia mascula and stage 2: effect of BAP (0, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg.l-1) and NAA (0, 0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg.l-1) were studied on embryonic callus induction on young leaves of Paonia mascula. At stage 1: the highest shoots number (5.38) was obtained on media containing 1 mg.l-1 BAP + 0.1 mg.l-1 NAA+ 0.5 mg.l-1 GA3. The results showed that increasing BAP level caused decreasing of shoot length. At stage 2: maximum of compact embryonic callus (17.93%) and somatic embryo number per explant (7.11) were obtained on 2 mg.l-1 BAP and 0.5mg.l-1 NAA. For callus proliferation, calli were maintained on MS medium containing 2 mg.l-1 BAP, 0.1 mg.l-1 NAA and 0.5 mg.l-1 GA3. Maximum rooting percentage (70.51%) and root number (0.0.02) were obtained with 0.25 mg.l-1 NAA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichomes of 35 species of the genus Convolovulus and one species of the genus Calystegia (C. sepium) were investigated using light and scanning electron microscopy. The trichomes show a great variation, which provides valuable data for sections and species delimitation in Convolvulus. Trichomes of Convolvulus are nonglandular, simple, and basifixed or rarely asymmetrically medifixed. Characters of taxonomic interest were the degree of curviness (straight to spiral), orientation relative to the epidermal surface (appressed to erect), and presence of papillae on trichome surface. The trichomes are divided into two basic types: cylindrical and flattened ribbon-like. Our data provide the additional evidence to include Calystegia in Convolvulus; the former is characterized by glabrous shoots supporting its inclusion in the Convolvulus sect. Convolvulus. Using the evolutionary framework provided by recent molecular phylogenetic investigations, the following trends can be proposed in Convolvulus: long cylindrical trichomes are advanced against the flattened ribbon-like ones, densely papillate trichomes are derived against the nonpapillate or loosely papillate ones, long trichomes are advanced against the short ones, and appressed trichomes are primitive compared with the erect ones. In most investigated species of Convolvulus, a mixture of various kinds of trichomes has been detected, and the level of advancement should be determined by a collective approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paeonia daurica subsp. tomentosa (Lomakin) D.Y.Hong is an herbaceous perennial and flowering plant from the Paeoniaceae family. In this research, the roots, stems, leaves and fruits of P. daurica subsp. tomentosa were investigated for a comparative identification of essential oil composition. The essential oils constituents were identified by GC/MS and then compared. The study leads to the identification of 31, 57, 66, and 57 components in the essential oils obtained from the roots, stems, leaves and fruits, respectively. These chemicals make up more than 99% of the essential oil. Some of the identified compounds (α-Pinene, 4-ethyloctane, 5-methylnonane, benzaldehyde, myrtanal, 4,7-dimethyl benzofuran, n-decane, cuminaldehyde, cis-p-mentha-6,8-diene-2-ol, salicylaldehyde, tetradecane, tetradecanal, and n-tricosane) occurred in all parts of the plant. The existence of compounds such as cembrene (1.1%), 13-epi-manool (1.5%), 2-hydroxy methyl benzoate (10.1%), and tridecanal (0.7%), however, were confirmed exclusively in the fruit, stem, root, and leaf, respectively. The antibacterial activities (MIC) of the oils obtained from the four studied Paeonia parts against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was studied. Staphylococcus aureus was the most sensitive microorganism to the oil obtained from the fruits of P. daurica subsp. tomentosa with the value of 0.04 ± 0.005 mg mL−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essential oils of five geographical populations of the Iranian Helichrysum leucocephalum were analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC and GC/MS). There were 69 chemical compounds in the studied populations: trans-caryophyllene (11.2-21.44 %) and α-humulene (9.37-18.68 %) occurred with the highest percentage in the Abadeh-Tashk population. Some other interesting compounds obtained were: α-copaene (3.23-8.40 %), α-pinene (2.90-7.86 %), ß-selinene (2.93-6.37 %), and Δ-cadinene (2.50-4.74 %). Compounds occurred in different quantities in all studied populations. A STRUCTURE analysis of the combined genetic and chemical contents showed the divergence between populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]