Lepidium khalkhalicum (Brassicaceae), a new wild relative of the garden cress (L. sativum) from northwestern Iran

Abstract

Lepidium khalkhalicum, a new species from northwestern Iran, is described. It appears to be a local endemic restricted to open slopes of marl hills in the Khalkhal region (Ardabil province). The novel species is easily distinguished from similar species by a set of both vegetative and generative characters such as less developed indumentum, undivided leaves, much longer style, more divaricate, non‐thickened pedicels exceeding silicles, poorly developed fruit wing, etc. A detailed description accompanied by color photographs, distribution and habitat data, and a proposed conservation status of the new species are provided. The particular interest of the discovery in view of its close relationship to the garden cress, L. sativum, is stressed.