3. Results and discussion
Summing up the morphological and anatomical results, we came to the conclusion that the collected samples are a new species.
Gagea iranshahrii **** & ***** sp. nov.[sect. Stipitatae , ser. Stipitatae (Pasch.) Levichev]
Holotype : NE Iran, NE Golestan province, Kalaleh to Maraveh Tappeh, 4 km after Chenaran village, on foothills, 37°50’17.2”N; 55°57’24.4”E, 322 m a.s.l., 28.03.2019, ***** 107616 (TARI!).
Paratype (Supporting information): Turkmenistan, Gaudan, peaks and slopes of mountains, 13 IV [18]95, [№] 5179, [legit.] Korzhinsky; Det. A. Grossheim, 1932 [as] Gagea stipitata Mercl.; Det. **** (LE) 20.12.2021 [as] Gagea iranshahrii **** & **** LE00052556. Turkmenistan , Central Kopet Dag, Chash-Depe, gorge, in the shadow of rocks, 1300 m, 14 V 1967, legit. & det. Proskuryakova [as] Gagea chomutoviae Pasch.; Teste **** (LE) March 2001 [as] G. ova (G. deepening ); 38.13708, 57.52912, mons Chashdepe, April 2021 [as] Gagea iranshahrii **** & ****, the bulbil is finely cellular, the plant is ≥ 7-8 years old - 7 donets with roots are visible; LE00052553.Turkestanica , Large Balkhans, on the rocky slopes of the mountains, 31 III [18]95, legit. S. Korshinsky [№] 5181, Det. A. Grossheim. 1932 [as] Gagea stipitata Mercl.; [Det.] **** (LE), 20.12.2021 [as] Gagea iranshahrii **** & ****; LE00052555. Turkestania , Large Balkhans, on the clay slopes of the mountains, 1 IV [18]95, Legit. S. Korshinsky [№] 5180, Det. A. Grossheim, 1932 Gagea stipitata Mercl.; Det. **** (LE) 20.12.2021. Gagea iranshahrii **** & ****, the bulbil is single, shallow- and finely-celled; LE00052554.
Diagnosis : The new species differ from G. subtilis Vved. and G. namanganica Levichev et Karimov (in press.) by a round, hanging vegetative bulb (not semi-teardrop-shaped and not appressed), from G. vanensis Tekşen & Karaman by a single vegetative bulb (not a group), from G. tenera Pascher by 1 leaf under inflorescence (not 2 individually), round (not flat) vegetative bulb and rounded cross-section of the basal leaf (not grooved) with 5 vascular bundles (not 3 bundles).
Plants solitary, thin, without pubescence, 9-15 cm tall. Bulb 2.5-3.5 mm in diameter, 4-6 mm high, ovoid-pear-shaped, covered with a dark brown tunic, with a short (2-4 mm) neck and freely braided with ageotropically oriented thin sclerified roots. The vegetative bulb is single, 2 × 2-2.5 mm in diam., spherical, smooth, hanging, connected to the bulbil with a short (0.5-2 mm) similarity of a stolon. Peduncle short (1-) 2.5-4 (-5) cm, rounded in cross section (c.s.), without voids, 0.5-1 mm in diameter. Basal leaf 1, slightly exceeding the inflorescence, 10-15 cm long, up to 0.5 mm wide, in c.s. flattened rounded, semicircular, 0.3-0.7 mm in diameter. The leaves on the peduncle are alternate, decreasing; lower ones up to 5-6.5 cm long, 1-2.5 mm wide at the base, gradually narrowed in the middle and upper thirds to filiform, shorter or longer than the inflorescence; other bracts are much shorter, 3-11 mm long. Inflorescences cymose, more or less branched, 3-12-flowered; pedicels 0.8-1.5 mm in diameter. Tepals lanceolate, obtuse, shiny, yellow, abaxial side greenish; external 5.5-7 × 1.5-2.5 mm, somewhat smaller than internal, 6-7.5 × 2-2.5 mm. Stamens 3.5-4 mm long; anthers are yellow, oblong, 1-1.5 mm long, after opening they decrease, rounded. Ovary obovate; 1.5-2.5 mm tall, narrowed into a short stem. Style 2-2.5 mm long, stigma capitate. The capsule is round-oblong, 4.5 × 2.5-3 mm, narrowed into a short stem about 0.5 mm. Seeds are thick flat, triangular, about 1 mm (Figs. 1-2).