Rhus coriaria L. var. zebaria S. E. Shahbaz a new variety for the flora of Iraq
24 June 2014
shahbaz, saleem; Salim, Jihad; Abdulrahman, ShamiranAbstract
Rhus coriaria var. zebaria from Duhok/Aqrae, Kurdistan-Iraq is described as a new variety that is nova to science. Field expeditions started in spring 2011, continued during 2012 and 2013 with the aim of collecting sumac specimens from different physiographic regions of Kurdistan-Iraq. A total of ten plants for each variety were sampled. An equal number of tagged herbarium specimens were prepared. The holotype was designated and deposited together with the herbarium specimens in the herbarium of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry/University of Duhok. Morphological characters of leaf, inflorescence, flowers, infructescence, and fruit were studied. pH value of the pericarp in addition to the hilum length was measured. Results were compared with the species type Rhus coriaria L. var. coriaria. Most leaf characters are of little or no value in taxonomic application. Only shape, apex and margin dents of leaflet show minor differences regarded inconsistent in separating the two varieties. Female and male inflorescences and flowers characters show no significant taxonomic value. The most distinctive feature is the dull whitish brown color of the drupe pericarp of the var. zebaria and the reddish brown color of the drupe pericarp of var. coriaria. The whitish color of the drupes of var. zebaria together with their larger sizes represents diagnostic characters for distinguishing this variety from the variety of the type species. Both hilum length and pH value characters may be useful for taxonomic application if mean values are taken in consideration.
Key words: Rhus coriaria; var. coriaria; var. zebaria; inflorescence; infructescence; drupe; hilum; pericarp.