Phylogeny and Historical Biogeography of Veronica Subgenus Pentasepalae (Plantaginaceae): Evidence for Its Origin and Subsequent Dispersal

A new species of Veronica (Plantaginaceae) from Western Iran

A new species, Veronicakurdistanica (Plantaginaceae), is described and illustrated. It grows on limestone cliffs in mountainous alpine areas of western Iran (Kurdistan province). The new species belongs to the species group of V.kurdica and is considered to be closely related to V.daranica, V.khorassanica and V.kurdica, with which the new species is compared. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of nrDNA (ITS) region confirms this relationship. Veronicakurdistanica is distinguished from the mentioned species by its glandular indumentum, length and shape of leaves and bracts, number of flowers per raceme, length and width of calyx and corolla, and size of capsules and seeds.

Advances in Plant Taxonomy and Systematics

Systematics and taxonomy are basic sciences and are crucial for all applications dealing with living organisms [...].