Precious plant heritage of Iran
by
Valleyallah Mozaffarian ([email protected])
Ali Salahi ([email protected])
Research Institute of Forests and RangelandS (SBS-RIFR).
In order to introduce Iran’s plant heritage, it is necessary pay attention to topographic
and climatological conditions of Iran, identify Iran condition in geographical divisions
of world, and then enter to actual discussion of Iran’s plant heritage and its
importance.
Iran is extended to 1648000 km2 and difference in elevation near 5650 meters,
temperature difference near to 45 C during a day and night in summer and winter.
This mountainous country covers Persian Gulf areas, also Oman Sea and Caspian Sea
lowlands, to Central deserts which in some cases are bareland, and western elevations
of Iran , like Zagross elevation, and Elborz Stretch in North of Iran, Hezar Masdjed
and finally disperssed summits and stretches which are situated in central part of Iran.
Shir-Kouh and mountains situated in Kerman Province are related to these series.
Precipitation varying from 2000mm in Anzaly port in north Iran, to 50mm in Yazd
and Baluchistan provinces, consequently appears changes in plant features and
vegetation compared with other countries. World’s 6 geographical divisions or
Kingdom are divided into Subkingdom, Region, Subregion, Province and
SubProvince. In 3 region and 5 province, plants are grown in Iran. Although plants
related to Mediterranean vegetation region are found in Iran. Northern part of Iran in
Euro-Sieberian region and Hyrcanian province, Zagross and Elborz and central part of
Iran in Irano-Turanian region and Mezopotamian province, Irano-Armenian, North
Baluchistanian, Southern part of Sahara-Sindian region and Nobo-Sindian province or
south Iran. With regarding to extension and climatological and topographic diversity,
Iran is a very reach country and has very differentiated genetic diversity. How these
genetic diversities were recognized and what is our responsibilities related them?
Botany history in Iran is referred to ancient period, but defined history is related to
1684 A.C. , that Kampfer came from Germany to Iran and transferred the collected
plants to Europe for nomenclature. Until now more than 54 European botanists or
amateur botanist visited Iran and went to different part of Iran and collected plants,
and carried to herbariums in their countries. The most known of them are; AucherEloy (1835-1837), THIKOTSCHY (1842), A.Bunge (1858) , Haussknecht (1870),
and in recent years some people like Bornmuller and Rechinger (1950). Collected
plants by mentioned botanists until 1888 BROUGHT BACK TO Europe that the
famous Swiss botanist Edmound Boissier compiled his Flora Orientalis containing
5000 plant species, which were identified from Egypt, Greece, The European part of
Turkey, The Caucasus, Armenia, Syria, Mesopotamia(Iraq), Iran, Afghanistan,
Baluchistan and Turkistan.
After establishment the faculties of Sciences, Agriculture and Pharmacology in
Tehran University, gradually different botanic centers were established by Ministry of
Agriculture
and Universities, so that nowadays 2 valid herbarium of Pests and
Diseases Research Institute, and Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands have
important role to identifying plants of Iran. Apart from mentioned centers, herbariums
of Universities, State centers of Research Organization of Agricultural-Jihad have role
in identifying flora of Iran. It is noticeable that nearly all of work in botanical fields
are done by Iranian scientists and publishing Flora of Iran in Persian language (Farsi)
with colored pictures, also regional flora shows appreciable strives in recognition and
introducing of Iran’s flora. Struggles of all botanic stakeholders resulted in
identification of 203 plant family including 146 families of wild plants containing 22
families of Monocotyledons and 124 families of Dicotyledons, also 16 families of
Ferns and 4 families of native gymnosperms are grown in Iran. 37 families of planted
plant including 34 families of angiosperms and 3 families of gymnosperms introduced
to Iran. Totally, these families have 1444 Genus, which 1234 genus of them are from
native plants of Iran, and 210 planted genus. The main point is that from 8000 plant
species of Iran, near to 1940 species are endemic of Iran containing of 1560 genus
and different species from different genus and families and 380 Endemic species of
the genus Astragalus. In order to access more precise information on genius and
species, more detailed studies are necessary.
Greatest plant families of Dicotyledon with regarding to genus and species
respectively are as follows:
Papilionaceae
55 genus
1587 Species
Asteraceae
144 genus
1036 Species
Laminaceae
44 genus
356 Species
Apiaceae
110 genus
350 Species
The greatest Monocotyledon families are:
Poaceae
115 genus
397 Species
Liliaceae
28 genus
236 Species
Regardless to Monocotyledon or Dicotyledon, greatest families are as follows:
Papilionaceae
1587 Species
Asteraceae
1037 Species
Poaceae
397 Species
Laminaceae
356 Species
Apiaceae
350 Species
Caryophyllaceae
343 Species
The most number of endemic species belong to following families:
Papilionaceae
470 Species
Asteraceae
427 Species
Poaceae
128 Species
Laminaceae
117 Species
Apiaceae
95 Species
The greatest genus regarding to number of species are as follows:
Astragalus
700 Species
Cousinia
210 Species
Silene
100 Species
Acatholimon
83 Species
Allium
75 Species
The greatest genus regarding to endemic species are as follows:
Astragalus
380 Species
Cousinia
174 Species
Acatholimon
66 Species
Echinops
42 Species
Nepeta
37 Species
The most number of planted species are related to following families:
Rosaceae
27 Species
Papilionaceae
24 Species
Poaceae
24 Species
Liliaceae
19 Species
Oleaceae
17 Species
Astraceae
17 Species
According to defined and accepted laws of “ The World Conservation Union (IUCN),
World Committee of Endangered plants, close to 1000 species of Iran’s plants are
related to rare plants, 180 plant species are vulnerable, and 23 plant species are
endangered, and there are not definite information about some of them.
It is comparable that Europe continent has 1.5 times of Iranian native and spontaneous
plants species.
Iran
143 family
1237 genus
8000 species
Europe
203 family
1541 genus
11557 species
All of information indicates that plant heritage have richness in Iran, and mission of
environmentalists and nature lovers should be careful in order to preserving these
natural genetical resource of Iran.
Near the village Si-sakt, Zagros mountains
3 Qashqai nomad women taking a break
Sisahkt position
Mount Damavand, Iran's tallest mountain is located in Alborz mountain range.
Flower in the Alborz mountain