Typification and taxonomy of Echinophora scabra (Echinophoreae, Apioideae)

Abstract

Echinophora scabra (Apiaceae) is one of the endemic species to the Iranica plateau with limited distribution range in Afghanistan and Pakistan which is the most eastern edge of the genus existence and penetration. In addition to its geographic distribution, morphologic, anatomic and micromorphologic characters of the plant, especially its umbellulas and mericarps features, make this species a remarkable candidate for further studies. Some of the most important and taxonomically valuable characters of its umbellulas and mericarps are: number of the male pedicels, absence of the sepals in umbellula’s central flower, petals shape, size of the sepals in male flowers, style length and indumentum, hypodermal collenchyma, relative size of the vascular bundles and vallecular vittae, width to thickness ratio of the endosperm, mericarp’s hair length and size of the platelets secretion on the mericarp surface. Here, we provided an emended taxonomic description improved with anatomical and micromorphological characters of the umbellulas and mericarps. Besides, we designated a lectotype and presented a comparison character table as well as a distribution map.