Molecular inference of subgenus Hermodactyloides Spach for vascular flora of Iraq

Iris reticulata of sect. Reticulata from subg. Hermodactyloides in Iraq have been circumscribed based on morphological characters long time ago. Recent work, carried out in neighbouring countries (Turkey and Iran), added the new sect. Zagrica, which includes four new species. No molecular study has been performed yet to confirm the status of this subgenus. In this work, a phylogenetic study of the subg. Hermodactyloides was carried out by using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region as well as morphological traits, with the aim to examine this subgenus in Iraq. Molecular data indicate that a new section is diverged from Hermodachtyloides and should be added to vascular flora of Iraq as a second section named Zagrica. This outcome is consistent with the morphological description. This work also implies that leaf transverse section should be considered as main morphological characters to be taken into account to separate the Reticulata section from Zagrica which has the same taxonomical value as the position of ovary (above ground or subterranean).

Environmental diagnosing of the new algal pollution of Tigris River in Iraq

The purpose of this study is to use eDNA in the biodiversity of the Tigris river’s sediment. Algal samples were collected and examined under light microscopy. The collected algae were cultured, and after their growth, the DNA extractions were made from culture and amplified 16S ribosomal RNA gene partial sequences data by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Phylogenetic identification of species was conducted by the evaluation of obtained sequence analysis data by using computer software. Leptolyngbya benthonica (MN 714226.1) and Nostoc paludosum (MN 714225.1) were identified by molecular analysis and registered at NCBI and considered as a new record to the algal flora of Iraq. Implementing molecular data in the taxonomy of species will be essential to solve the taxonomic problems associated with microscopic methods.

A New Record For The Flora of Iraq: Astragalus vogelii (Papilionaceae)

The Western Desert is a wide area of Iraq, it is bordered by three Arab countries, and characterized by the great plant diversity in the rainy years, including year 2019, during the spring season of the same year, a number of field trips were carried out in which wild plants were collected, and among them was Astragalus vogelii (webb) Bornm. of the papilionaceae family for the first time in Iraq, specifically in the Obealah valley, which intersects with the highway road towards Jordan and Syria (about 18 km. west of Rutba). The species was identificated according to the Flora of neighboring and near countries, the morphological description of the sprcies was done through a taxonomic treatment supported by photographic and microscopic images for all floral and vegetative parts, as well as anatomical description of the stem based on the cross section. Amap was also developed the specifies the locations of the species distribution. After making sure that there was no previous sample for the species in the Iraqi Herbaria, the sample of this study were deposited in the Iraqi National Herbarium with numbers 60340, 60341, 60342 and in the Anbar University Herbarium with numbers 6670, 6671, 6672 and 6673.

Endemic Plant Species of Iraq: from Floristic Diversity to Critical Analysis Review

The endemic flora is the heart of our understanding of the current biodiversity hotspots, and plays a critical role to conceive successful management strategies for global biodiversity conservation. In Iraq territory context, despite its high plant diversity value, the endemicity is still largely under-investigated and there is no updated database of the Iraqi endemic flora. Therefore, this study sets out to present an updated list of the endemic plant species in Iraq, including a quantitative analysis of their floristic analysis, biological life forms, and geographical distribution. This first Iraqi endemic list can be seen as the first step towards better understanding of the floristic diversity, and can play an important role for future conservation priorities. This endemic list was based initially on the classical flora of Iraq and it has been completed and refining according to the floras of the neighbouring countries. To establish an updated list, it has been added all the Iraqi endemic taxa newly described by retrieving it from the botanical papers and taxonomical websites. For each endemic taxa researcher has provided the following floristic baseline: scientific name, family, phytogeographical distribution, elevation range, biological life forms, and IUCN assessment. The results of this floristic investigation present for the first time an updated endemic list of Iraqi plant species which contains a total of 174 endemic taxa(153 species, 11 subspecies, 10 varieties) in 27 families and 75 genera. They represent an endemicity rate of 5.3% of the total estimated flora of Iraq, which constitutes a low level compared to those of neighboring Irano- Anatolian countries. The family Asteraceae, Papilionaceae, Boraginaceae and Apiaceae are the richest flowering families. The life biological forms indicate that a major part of endemic taxa are chamaephytes (44%) and perennial hemicryptophytes (32%) as an adaptation indicator to the dry-harsh environmental conditions of the Irano-Anatolian mountainous areas. These floristic quantitative analysis support the idea that the species richness and endemicity are not uniformly distributed within the altitudinal gradient and phytogeographical districts of Iraq. For instance, a significant part of the Iraqi endemic taxa concentrate on the Zagrosian foothills and the mountain range between 1000 and 1700. The most striking findings were that only one taxon on average per year was newly described for Iraq, over the last 20 years, compared to around 50 taxa for Iran and Turkey confirming its status of the floristic knowledge coldspot. The current findings add substantially to our understanding of the endemism diversity in Iraqi Zagrosian part, and can serve as a base for future floristic investigation and biodiversity conservation studies

Validating the combination Centaurea benedicta var. kotschyi (Compositae: Cynareae)

Summary A new combination, Centaurea benedicta var. kotschyi, invalidly published in Flora of Iraq Volume 6, is here validated.

A NEW RECORD FOR THE FLORA OF IRAQ: LOTUS GARCINII DC. (PAPILIONACEAE)

Lotus garcinii is a new additional plant species to papilionaceae family in flora of Iraq for the first time found at Al-Imsad Dam region (South of Rutba) of Western Desert District (DWD) from Iraq. The species was collected in spring season of 2017 and 2018, preserved in National Herbarium of Iraq(BAG) with the numbers 59780, 59781 and 59782. The identification of the species was confirmed by using some Flora of the neighboring countries for Iraq, taxonomic treatment was done, and some distinguishing characters are given.

Geranium robertianum L. (Geraniaceae): A new record for the flora of Iraq.

Plant specimens were collected during a fieldtrips near Derbandikhan city (Sulaimani province) in Spring 2016, is added to the other 10 species of this genus previously reported from Iraq. Gross morphology of all plant parts was investigated comparatively, description and detailed figures are given. The geographical distribution is mapped. Previous checklists and studies were checked, to confirm and prove that this species is a new record for the flora of Iraq. A comprehensive study of literatures, herbaria and preceding checklists has been conducted.