Juniperus Polycarpos Research Articles

Phytosociological features of frigana vegetation of Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan

The phytosociological and floristic properties of mountain xerophyte plant associations (Frigana) spread on the territory of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan were investigated. These unions are dominated by barbed and grassy plants. On the other hand Acantholimon spp., Astragalus spp. and Onobrychis cornuta are common in the area and dominant in the mountainous regions of Nakhchivan. The major parts of Shahbuz, Julfa and Ordubad are dominanted by vegetation. In the floristic composition of the frigana units the shrubs are dominant and the characteristic species are: Pyrus oxyprion, Astragalus microcephalus, Astragalus aureus, Juniperus polycarpos, Rhamnus pallasii, Atraphaxis spinosa, Acantholimon bracteatum, Rhus coriaria, Acer ibericum, Lonicera iberica, Prangos ferulacea, Thymus kotschyanus etc. The frigana units dominate the region's vegetation. The mountainous xerophyte vegetation encompasses strongly torn by relief, rocky slopes, and talus of the territory of the mountains. The continentalization of the climate after the glacial era, as well as the advent of anthropogenic activity, appears to be effective in expanding the range of vegetation. Although skeleton is the only plant bitumen in the rocky slopes, it is important to protect the dive lining of the slopes along the slopes and to prevent the wash away and spoilage residues.

Фитоценозы с Juniperus foetidissima Willd. на территории Парадаша в Нахичеванской автономной республике

The article presents the role and phytocenological features of the Foetid Juniper (Juniperus foetidissima Willd.) species in the sparse juniper forest of Paradash Massif in the Julfa District. According to the used literature and our researches, plants with bare seeds in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic are represented by 2 Divisions, 2 Classes, 3 Orders, 3 Families, 7 Genera and 13 Species, 7 of which are related to the cultural flora. According to research in sparse juniper forests in the Paradash Massif, there were not found Species belongin to Pinaceae Adans. Family, but 2 Species of Juniperus L. Genera of Cupressaceae S. F. Gray Family, and only one species named Ephedra procera Fisch. et C. A. Mey. Belonging to the Ephedraceae Dumort family was determined. The dominant Species of the tree tier is Juniperus foetidissima Willd., and the subdominant Species is Pyrus salicifolia Pall. — whenever Juniperus polycarpos C. Koch, together with the willow-leafed pear are multi-fruited Species of Juniper. Counting of the height indicators according to the steps and determination of the trunk diameter of the Juniper tree on the territory of Paradash were given in the counting tables. All formations and associations of phytocenoses in a rocky biotope were discovered and presented.

Phytotoxicity and antifungal properties of the essential oil from the Juniperus polycarpos var. turcomanica (B. Fedsch.) R.P. Adams leaves.

This study was performed to investigate the constituents, in vitro antifungal activity and phytotoxicity potential of the essential oil from Juniperus polycarpos var. turcomanica leaves. The essential oil was analyzed by GC-FID, and GC/MS, which predominantly contains α-pinene (51.21%), germacrene-B (4.80%), and ∆-cadinene (2.56%). The antifungal activity of the essential oil against some phytopathogenic fungi, including Alternaria alternata, Colletotrichum trichellum, Curvularia fallax, Cytospora sacchari, Fusarium oxysporum, and Macrophomina phaseolina was performed through disk diffusion and agar dilution assays. The essential oil of J. polycarpos var. turcomanica had high antifungal activity against tested phytopathogenic fungi. The most susceptible fungi to the essential oil were C. trichellum in agar dilution and M. phaseolina and C. fallax in disk diffusion methods, whereas, the most resistant fungus to the essential oil was obtained from A. alternata in both assays. Screening methods had an influence on antifungal activity of the essential oil as most of the tested fungi in this study were shown to be more resistant in disc diffusion methods. According to the phytotoxic assay results, the essential oil from J. polycarpos var. turcomanica had high phytotoxicity against three species of weeds, including P. oleracea L., A. retroflexus L., and D. stramonium L. The results of this research suggest that the herbicidal and antifungal activities of the essential oil from J. polycarpos var. turcomanica can be attributed to its major group of constituents, monoterpenes hydrocarbons.

Developmental indices of cones collected from male plants of Juniperus polycarpos K. Koch under in vitro water deficit and salt stress conditions

Cones of male plants have vital role in regeneration of plants especially in dioecious species propagated by sexual reproduction. Juniperus polycarpos K. Koch is an evergreen dioecious species with some problems at reproductive stage specially in arid and semi-arid regions. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effects of water deficit and salinity stress on developmental indices of cones from male J. polycarpos. This research carried out in a complete randomized design with water deficit (2.5, 5, 7.5 and 9% PEG-6000) and salinity (100, 200 and 400 mM NaCl) treatments along with control. Explants with the same size (2.4 -2.6 cm) were taken from the shoot tip of male trees at a given time, decontaminated explants were placed on MS basal medium under aseptic condition. Both stresses significantly accelerated the date of cone from male plant maturation, this accelerating effect was reliant on stress treatments. Early maturation of cones from male J. polycarpos were observed at 7.5% PEG while aborted premature cones from male plants were obtained with the application of 9% PEG, and 200 or 400 mM NaCl. All treatments of water deficit and salt stress caused decrease in length, diameter and fresh weight of cones from male plants and number of microsporophyll per cone, which this effect had increasing trend with stress level. In fact, water deficit and salt stresses resulted in production of weak cones from male plants with irregular maturation and poor sexual reproduction. Due to extending of aridity in Southern part of Iran, tissue culture techniques can be suggested as a useful and relatively rapid method for reproductive and regenerative studies to protect J. polycarpos as a valuable species in ecological landscape.

Antidiabetic xanthones with α-glucosidase inhibitory activities from an endophytic Penicillium canescens

Worldwide, 463 million people are affected by diabetes of which the majority is diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). T2D can ultimately lead to retinopathy, nephropathy, nerve damage, and amputation of the lower extremities. α-Glucosidase, responsible for converting starch to monosaccharides, is a key therapeutic target for the management of T2D. However, due to substantial side effects of currently marketed drugs, there is an urgent need for the discovery of new α-glucosidase inhibitors. In our ongoing efforts to identify novel α-glucosidase inhibitors from Nature, we are investigating the potential of endophytic filamentous fungi as sustainable sources of hits and/or leads for future antihyperglycemic drugs. Here we report one previously unreported xanthone (5) and two known xanthones (7 and 11) as α-glucosidase inhibitors, isolated from an endophytic Penicillium canescens, recovered from fruits of Juniperus polycarpos. The three xanthones 5, 7, and 11 showed inhibitory activities against α-glucosidase with IC50 values of 38.80 ± 1.01 μM, 32.32 ± 1.01 μM, and 75.20 ± 1.02 μM, respectively. Further pharmacological characterization revealed a mixed-mode inhibition for 5, a competitive inhibition for 7, while 11 acted as a non-competitive inhibitor.

Population and Community Structure Pattern of Juniperous polycarpos K. Koch with Climate Change Effect in the Cold Desert Trans Himalayan Region, India

Juniperus polycarpos L. is one of the most threatened and livelihood plant species of the Himalayan region. The present study provides information about monitoring of its populations and proliferation rate in high altitude regions of Trans-Himalaya. The survey revealed comprehensive information on J. polycarpos such as distribution range, habitat characteristics, composition, structural pattern, population size, uses and diversity status. Its distribution and density were maximum in pure forest habitats as compared to mixed habitats recorded. Middle forest altitudinal zone (3100–3500 m for dominant J. polycarpos community and 2710–3100 m for mixed communities) showed suitability for its growth and high density. The occurrence of species above treeline altitudinal zone (4000 m) indicates effect by climate change. A total 281 species (158 genera, 48 families, 37.04% native, 2.06% endemic, 23.87% near-endemic, 74.44% economically important and 20.28% threatened species) were recorded within its populations. Frequent monitoring of populations under climate change scenarios is suggested.

Seed viability changes during fruit ripening of Juniperus polycarpos: Implications for seed collection

JUNIPERUS polycarpos is a keystone species found in arid zones in the Middle East, especially in Iran. Although studies have researched how to increase the germination capacity of this species through seed treatments, other methods to increase seed germination capacity have not been investigated. In this study, we considered the effects that seed collection time had on the germination parameters of J. polycarpos. The germination parameters were calculated for each treatment, which was replicated 4 times with 100 seeds per replicate. The results showed that all germination parameters were affected by a high degree of infestation, which increased significantly from 10% in August (unripe cones) to 39% in November (ripe cones). Seed infestation caused the seed viability, germination capacity, and germination value of the seeds to decrease by 67%, 78%, and 95%, respectively. The decrease in germination capacity could have also resulted from the probable high amount of abscisic acid in mature cones. Therefore, collecting cones four months earlier than the maturation time may be a more cost effective method for the artificial regeneration of forests and the seedling production of J. polycarpos. Early collection time combined with the best introduced treatment methods can significantly improve the germination of J. polycarpos seeds. This will be useful for artificial regeneration practices in endangered and genetically unique stands of J. polycarpos

Seasonal variation in Juniperus polycarpos var. turcomanica essential oil from northeast of Iran

The composition of hydro-distilled essential oils from fresh leaves of wild growing Juniperus polycarpos var. turcomanica, collected from northeaste of Iran, were investigated by GC and GC–MS analysis during growing season 2012–2013. The oil yields depend on the month of collecting and ranged between 1.5 and 2.1% (v/w). Analysis of the essential oil identified 49 components that representing 89.7–94.6% of the total oil. Results indicated that the predominant presence of monoterpene constituents, representing 56.9–85.6% of the essential oil. The main constituent was α-pinene (41.8–75.4%), followed by germacrene B (1–5.8%), camphor (0.7–4.5%) and α-cadinol (0.4–4.8%). Regarding essential oil composition, quantitative and qualitative variations were recorded for 12 different collection periods. The best time for harvesting juniper leaves seems to be from mid-autumn to mid-winter.

Chemical analysis and anticancer effects of Juniperus polycarpos and oak gall plants extracts

The seeds of Juniperus polycarpos and Oak Gall (distortion of leave buds of Quercus infectoria)were investigated for chemical composition by Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrum (GC-MS)and studied their anticancer activity. Sixty-five different compounds recognized in crudefruits extract of J.polycarpos. The major three components were: 2(10)-Pinene, (1S, 5S)-(−)-(17.78%), 2-Hexanol, 2-methyl-(21.14%) and 2, 4-Decadienal (8.72%). They were presence of thirty-four compounds in the crud extract of Oak Gall. The highest strong peak area (69.4%) was obtained by 2-Hexanol, 2-methyl-fallowed by 2, 4-Decadienal (6.79%) and Eucalyptol (5.17%). There are some similar compounds in these plants. 2-Octenal, (E)-; 2, 4-Decadienal and Hexanoic acid is exactly the same compounds found in alcohol extracts of J.polycarpos and Oak Gall. Moreover, 2-Heptenal, (Z)-; 2-Hexanol, 2-methyl-; Copaene; 2-Decenal, (Z)-;.alpha.-Terpieol and 2, 4-Decadienal, (E, E)were found in J.polycarpos and in Oak Galls All of concentrations of crud plant extracts of J.polycarpos and Oak Gall had high reductions to mice mammary carcinoma cell line 2003 AMN3 cancer cell line, their half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) 2 microgram per milliliterand 0.2 milligram per milliliter respectively. Less reductions found on recombinant mouse epithelial cell line (L20B) cell line. IC50 of J. polycarposwere: 0.2 mg/ml.

Flotation techniques to improve viability of Juniperus polycarpos seed lots

The germination of freshly collected Juniperus polycarpos (K. Koch) seeds is very low and attributed to the large proportion of nonviable seeds in the seed lots. Thus, the aim of this study was to improve seed lot quality by removing nonviable seeds using two flotation techniques: incubation-drying-separation (IDS) and modified specific gravity (MSG) separation. We examined different IDS conditions (the specific incubation time, subsequent drying time and sorting media) for effectively sorting out nonviable seeds; and tested the feasibility of modified SG separation, which involved soaking seeds in water for a certain period before sorting in different concentrations of sucrose solution. Viable seeds were expected to absorb and metabolically bind more water during soaking than dead seeds could, and hence be sorted effectively depending on the viscosity of the sucrose solution. The viability of the seeds that floated or sank was determined in a topographical tetrazolium chloride (TTC) test. For the IDS trial, 7 days incubation followed by 9 h of drying and sedimentation in pure water or 200 g·L−1 sucrose solution identified, respectively, 75 and 82 % of the seeds as viable (sunken) seeds. For the MSG trail, 77 % viable seeds were recovered in the sunken fraction when seeds were soaked for 48 h then immediately sorted in 600 g·L−1 sucrose solution. In both cases, the loss of viable seeds in the discarded floating fraction was only 4 %. The results demonstrate that both IDS and MSG separation techniques substantially improved seed lot viability, but MSG separation is simple and needs no modern seed handling facility, and its efficacy relies on seed mass (due to the initial soaking) and the specific density and viscosity of the flotation medium.

Stimulation of germination in dormant seeds of Juniperus polycarpos by stratification and hormone treatments

Dormancy in Juniperus polycarpos (K. Koch) seeds is a major hurdle for production of the desired quantity of seedlings in nurseries for restoration purpose. Thus, the aim of this study was to develop an optimal dormancy breaking treatment and subsequent stimulation of germination. The treatments applied were cold stratification at 1 °C for 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks; warm stratification at 20 °C for 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks followed by 12 weeks of cold stratification; exogenous application of 250, 500, and 1000 ppm gibberellic acid (GA3) and 6-Benzylamino purine (BAP); and a combination of 500 ppm hormones and cold stratification. The results show significant differences in germination between cold and warm-cold stratification, length of stratification and their interaction (p < 0.01). Warm stratification for 16 weeks followed by 12 weeks of cold stratification induced 72 % of the seeds to germination in 12 days compared with 16-week cold-stratification alone (42 %) and the control (8 %). Exogenous application of GA3 and BAP alone or in combination with cold stratification resulted in less than 50 % germination though significantly (p < 0.01) higher than the control. Apparently, the hormone treatments alone or in combination with cold stratification are not effective in completely breaking dormancy and stimulation of germination. The findings suggest that J. polycarpos seeds may possess intermediate simple morpho-physiological dormancy, which could be an adaptive mechanism for relatively warmer autumn temperature during seed maturation and the subsequent cold winter temperature under natural conditions.

The Within-tree Variation in Wood Density and Mechanical Properties and Their Relationship in Juniperus polycarpos

Abstract The variations of wood density and mechanical properties of Juniperus polycarpos trees were studied in a natural forest in Iran. Sample disks were taken from each tree to examine wood density and mechanical properties (MOE and MOR) from pith to bark at breast height, 50%, and 75% of total tree height. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that radial position and height significantly affected all wood properties. The wood density, MOE and MOR were decreased along horizontal position from the pith to the bark and vertical direction from base upwards. Regression analysis showed that modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR) had a positive correlation with wood density.Key Words: Juniperus polycarpos, density, modulus of elasticity, modulus of rupture Received: July 15, 2015. Revised: August 9, 2015. Accepted: August 24, 2015.Corresponding author: Majid KiaeiDepartment of Wood and Paper Science and Technology, Chaloos Branch, Islamic Azad University, Chaloos 46615/397, IranTel: 981152226601, Fax: 981152226603, E-mail: mjd_kia59@yahoo.com

Growth characteristics and reproductive output of dwarf mistletoe-infected Juniperus polycarpos in Iran

Dwarf mistletoes are parasitic flowering plants that infect conifers, resulting in substantial loss of growth and mortality. Recently, forest managers in Iran are contemplating whether infection of Juniperus polycarpos C. Koch forests by dwarf mistletoe, Arceuthobium oxycedri (DC.) M. Bieb, influences tree vigor and contributes to insufficient natural regeneration. The present study aimed at assessing the severity of infection and its impact on growth and reproductive output of J. polycarpos. Infected and uninfected trees (n =20 each) were selected for assessment of diameter, height, crown area, and crown volume as well as quantity and quality of cones and seeds. The severity of infection of trees was determined by Hawksworth’s 6-class dwarf mistletoe rating (DMR) system. The DMR system revealed that 40% of the infected sample trees were lightly infected (DMR =1–2) and 60% were moderately infected (DMR =3–4). Growth characteristics did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) between infected and uninfected trees. However, moderate infection affected the reproductive output of J. polycarpos by significantly (p<0.05) reducing the mean number of cones per unit area of the crown, increasing the number of damaged seeds, and reducing seed size and seed germination capacity. We conclude that reproductive output of J. polycarpos is more sensitive than growth characters to moderate infection by juniper dwarf mistletoe, and this might partly account for poor natural regeneration.

Occurrence of Polyembryony in Juniperus Polycarpos C. Koch.

The natural regeneration in Juniperus polycarpos is quite low due to seed dormancy. While studying the seed germination behaviour of Juniperus polycarpos, a twin seedling was found germinated from a single seed which has been reported. This is the first instance of occurrence of polyembryonic seedlings in Juniperus polycarpos which have been reported in this paper. The twin seedlings have been resulted due to the phenomenon of polyembryony which is of rare occurrence in this species, however, the production of twin seedlings has been reported earlier also in other forest tree species. The twin seedlings were found to be independent having separate taproots and cotyledons. The seedlings were later transplanted in a polybags filled with Soil: Sand: FYM (2:1:1 :) to observe the further growth of twin seedlings. After three months, it was noticed that both the twin seedlings shriveled and died where as normal seedlings continued to grow normally and produced all the essential features of a plant.

Reproduction of juniper (Juniperus polycarpos) in Khorasan Razavi, Iran

Juniperus species (juniper) are resistant to drought and have medicinal properties. In order to investigate the condition of juniper reproduction and prevent a decline in its area, largely caused by problems in natural regeneration, the asexual reproduction of juniper has received special attention besides its sexual propagation. Among the six species of juniper in Iran, the most abundant are Juniperus polycarpos and J. excelsa. Juniperus polycarpos is ambi-sexual and J. excelsa unisexual. We show that collecting seeds in September provided for better germination than in November. In sexual propagation 82.0% and in asexual (graft) 47.6% success were achieved. Compared to a mixture of water, lime and hormones, a natural treatment of only water had better results. Diurnal change of temperature increased germination of juniper seeds over a constant temperature. Aphyllous stem cuttings from mature and old trees are less successful in rooting than leafy cuttings of juniper saplings. A treatment with Aaterra significantly reduced the percentage of rooted cuttings and total root length. Aliette, Fongarid, Octave, Benomyl, Delsene M and Maneb fungicides significantly increased the percentage of rooted cuttings but did not affect total root length. Autumn explants formed more calli than spring explants. Successful multiplication was achieved by treating buds with a mixture of 0.7% polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and 2% sucrose and cultured in a basal MS or WRC medium, with a maximum number of new buds. In consideration of extracted material of juniper species in remedy of infectious, fungus, contagious diseases as well as for drought resistance and longevity of this species in severe arid environmental conditions and various industrial applications, reproduction and seed production by micro propagation and biotechnology are necessary.

Ecological status and uses of juniper species in the cold desert environment of the Lahaul valley, North-western Himalaya, India

The juniper species Juniperus polycarpos C. Koch, J. indica Bertol. and J. communis L. var. saxatilis (Pallas) are important elements of the forest vegetation in Lahaul valley in the north-western Himalaya. Their ability to grow under the barren and xeric conditions of cold deserts makes them particularly suited for afforestation programmes under these ecological conditions. In the Lahaul valley, juniper species are used as subsistence resources and for religious purposes. Excessive removal of juniper wood and leaves by the local population, overgrazing, habitat fragmentation and low regeneration potential are the main obstacles to conservation of juniper forests in this region. The present study was carried out to assess density, basal area and importance value index (IVI) of the local vegetation as well as uses and amounts of juniper wood and leaves removed from the local forests. Pressure on relict juniper forests due to grazing animals and intensive removal of wood and leaves by the local population was found to be greater at an altitude above 3,000 m. The results of the study demonstrated that the different juniper species were adapted to specific altitude ranges. A higher species density was recorded at lower altitude except for J. indica which was only present at high altitude (>3,200 m) on south-facing slopes. Density, basal area and IVI of J. polycarpos were higher at Hinsa (2,700 m) than at Jahlma (3,000 m). The rapid loss of vegetation due to overuse and habitat degradation has made the conservation of juniper forests an important priority in the Lahaul valley. J. polycarpos at lower altitude and J. indica at higher altitude are ecologically the more suitable species for the successful implementation of conservation programmes. The support of rehabilitation programmes by regional authorities is essential for the reestablishment of the local juniper forests.

Chemical Composition of the Essential Oils from Iranian Conifers. Part I: Aroma Profiles of Leaves and Fruits of Juniperus polycarpos var. polycarpos (Cupressaceae)

The essential oils of the leaves and fruits of Juniperus polycarpos var. polycarpos were obtained by steam distillation. Chemical constituents of the obtained oils were analyzed by GC, GC/MS, GC/FTIR and 13C-NMR. The major components of the leaf oil of Juniperus polycarpos var. polycarpos were α-pinene (32.3%), cedrol (13.1%), β-elemene (3.7%), myrcene (3%), β-bisabolene (2.9%) and limonene (2.8%); whereas, the fruit oil contained α-pinene (47.6%), cedrol (12.0%), myrcene (5.1%), germacrene B (3.2%) and β-pinene (2.7%).

Tree ring inferred summer temperature variations over the last millennium in western Himalaya, India

We report the first millennium-long reconstruction of mean summer (May–June–July–August) temperature extending back to AD 940 derived from tree-ring width data of Himalayan pencil juniper (Juniperus polycarpos C. Koch) from the monsoon-shadow zone in the western Himalaya, India. Centennial-scale variations in the reconstruction reveal periods of protracted warmth encompassing the 11–15th centuries. A decreasing trend in mean summer temperature occurred since the 15th century with the 18–19th centuries being the coldest interval of the last millennium, coinciding with the expansion of glaciers in the western Himalaya. Since the late 19th century summer temperatures increased again. However, current warming may be underestimated due to a weakening in tree growth-temperature relationship noticeable in the latter part of the 20th century. Mean summer temperature over the western Himalaya shows a positive correlation with summer monsoon intensity over north central India. Low-frequency variations in mean summer temperature anomalies over northwestern India are consistent with tree-ring inferred aridity in western North America. These far-distance linkages reported here for the first time underscore the utility of long-term temperature records from the western Himalayan region in understanding global-scale climatic patterns.

Tree ring imprints of long-term changes in climate in western Himalaya, India

Tree-ring analyses from semi-arid to arid regions in western Himalaya show immense potential for developing millennia long climate records. Millennium and longer ring-width chronologies of Himalayan pencil juniper (Juniperus polycarpos), Himalayan pencil cedar (Cedrus deodara) and Chilgoza pine (Pinus gerardiana) have been developed from different sites in western Himalaya. Studies conducted so far on various conifer species indicate strong precipitation signatures in ring-width measurement series. The paucity of weather records from stations close to tree-ring sampling sites poses diffi culty in calibrating tree-ring data against climate data especially precipitation for its strong spatial variability in mountain regions. However, for the existence of strong coherence in temperature, even in data from distant stations, more robust temperature reconstructions representing regional and hemispheric signatures have been developed. Tree-ring records from the region indicate multi-century warm and cool anomalies consistent with the Medieval Warm Period and Little Ice Age anomalies. Signifi cant relationships noted between mean premonsoon temperature over the western Himalaya and ENSO features endorse utility of climate records from western Himalayan region in understanding long-term climate variability and attribution of anthropogenic impact.

Isoenzyme diversity and cryptic speciation in Juniperus excelsa (Cupressaceae) complex in Iran

An isoenzyme analysis was performed on 109 individuals from 11 populations of Juniperus excelsa complex collected from Iran. A total of 61 allozymes from five enzyme systems were scored. The mean numbers of bands per presumed isoenzyme, ranged from 2.07 to 3.23. The value of Euclidean distance ranged from 1.920 to 4.411. The average value of Shannon diversity index ( H′) estimated for each population ranged from 0.317 in the population sampled from ‘ Fasa’ to 1.053 in the population of ‘Golestan’, and the average H′ value for each enzyme system ranged from 0.031 (SOD-3) to 1.670 (PPO-1). To reveal the relationships among these populations, a cluster analysis based on Euclidean distances was performed. The results of the analysis suggest recognizing three taxa in the complex in Iran: Juniperus polycarpos subsp. polycarpos, Juniperus polycarpos subsp. turcomanica, and one cryptic species not recorded from Iran until now. Moreover, the analysis presented, does not confirm the occurrence of J. excelsa in Iran.