Taxonomic revision and phytogeography studies of the genus Euphorbia in Iran (Khorassan provinces)
29 May 2017
Nasseh, Yasamin; Nazarova, Estella; Kazempour, ShahrokhThis study has focused on taxonomy and phytogeography on the genus of Euphorbia L. in a part of NE Iran. Since there are many plants of this genus in our country and due to their uses in different industries and their different effects on human and non–human life their taxonomic study is nessesary.Following Turkey with 91 species, Iran is the second richest country for Euphorbia in Asia with about 90 species, of which 30 species are distributed in Khorassan provinces and it is the first and comprehensive work in this region. Regarding to Flora Iranica, there are 17 species of Euphorbia in NE Iran, while according to current studies, there are 30 species of Euphorbia in three Khorassan provinces. This study indicated a number of interesting and notable features, with some characters which could be of taxonomic and diagnostic values. We suggested a new Euphorbia species for the world. In addition new taxonomic findings are given in this genus. Identification keys have been written for Euphorbia species in studied area based on macromorphological characters and the second key based on seed micromorphological characters. Phytogeography analysis and distribution maps for Euphorbia species in this region have been presented for the first time. This study as the first published work in a vast part of NE Iran shares useful information and also we are continuing our work upon this genus and will certainly offer to new interesting findigs in future.