Biodiv. Res. Conserv. 32: 25-28, 2013 BRC www.brc.amu.edu.pl DOI 10.2478/biorc-2013-0014 Submitted 08.05.2013, Accepted 29.10.2013

Orobanche laxissima Uhlich & Rätzel () – a new species for Dagestan (Russia) and Azerbaijan

Renata Piwowarczyk1* & Ivan Tatanov2

1Department of Botany, Institute of Biology, Jan Kochanowski University, Świętokrzyska 15, 25-406 Kielce, Poland 2V. L. Komarov Botanical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Prof. Popova St. 2, Saint Petersburg 197376, Russia * corresponding author (e-mail: [email protected])

Abstract: laxissima Uhlich & Rätzel (Orobanchaceae) is a probably endemic Caucasian parasite of trees. New localities of this species are reported from the Greater Caucasus: Russia (Dagestan) and Azerbaijan. These are the easternmost sites known for the species, so they extend its distribution range. Its hosts, abundance, and habitat preferences at the new lo- calities are described, and a supplemented map of distribution of this species in Caucasus Mts. is provided.

Key words: Orobanche laxissima, distribution, habitat, host, Caucasus, Russia, Dagestan, Azerbaijan

1. Introduction Orobanche laxissima Uhlich & Rätzel was first described­ from the Republic of Adygea (NW Caucasus, The Caucasus is located at the border of Europe and Russia), near the village of Novoprokhladnoye. It was Asia, between the Caspian and Black Seas. Politically it considered to be probably endemic to the Caucasus Mts. is divided between Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Its distribution apparently is restricted to the foothills the North Caucasian portion of the Russian Federation of the Caucasus Mts., especially Adygea (Maykopsky (including the Dagestan, Chechnya, Ingushetia, northern­ District), Krasnodar Krai, Stavropol Krai, to the Turkish Ossetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkesia, and coast of the Black Sea and Georgia (Kakheti region). Adygea Autonomous Republics), the north-eastern part Previously, it was known from about 20 localities of Turkey, and a part of north-western Iran. Topographi- (Rätzel­ & Uhlich 2004; www.orowiki.org), but probably cally the Caucasus comprises the Greater Caucasus the species is most common within the Caucasus. (with the highest peak Mt. Elbrus, 5642 m a.s.l.), the The aim of this paper is to describe new locali- Lesser Caucasus (up to 4000 m), the South Caucasian ties of Orobanche laxissima in the Caucasus Mts. Its Uplands (covering parts of Asia Minor, Armenian and , biology, ecology, and distribution are also Iranian uplands), and the Transcaucasian Depression, briefly discussed below. between the Greater and Lesser Caucasus. Caucasian Herbarium acronyms are given after Holmgren & flora comprises 6350 native species of vascular , Holmgren (1998). Authors abbreviations of taxa are 1600 of which are endemic. There are 17 endemic taken from Brummitt & Powell (1992). genera­ of plants in this region, 9 of which are associ- ated with high mountain ecosystems (Holubec & Křivka 2. Taxonomic problems, biology, and ecology 2006). The Caucasus and mountains of Central Asia are Taxonomic notes centres of origin of the Orobanche L. In this area, Orobanche laxissima Uhlich & Rätzel, Feddes Repert. 70-85 species of this genus are known, and many of 115 (1-2): 194, 2004. them are endemic. Distribution of the genus Orobanche Syn. Orobanche fraxinii Uhlich in sched. and related genera and their hosts is still not sufficiently T y p u s : Russia, in Caucaso boreo-occidentali known (Rätzel & Uhlich 2004). (Adygaea) prope pagum Novoprokhladnoye, ca. 700 m chorolog y

©Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (Poland), Department of Taxonomy. All rights reserved. 26 Renata Piwowarczyk & Ivan Tatanov Orobanche laxissima Uhlich & Rätzel (Orobanchaceae) – a new species for Dagestan...

a. s. l., in fruticetis, leg. S. Rätzel, 30.06.2002 n. 2334 group, are often yellow, but the yellow forms almost (B; Isotypi 2333, 2335, Herbarium Rätzel). never constitute the majority of a population. Such Orobanche laxissima belongs to the grex Minores coloration is not typical and is a result of low insolation, Beck, characterized by calyx teeth filiform, narrow and soil pH, or incomplete plant pigmentation. Yellow and long (cf. description of calyx Rätzel & Uhlich 2004). albinotic forms usually occur in shaded sites (Halamski O. laxissima resembles O. crenata Forsk. or O. owerinii 2011; Halamski & Piwowarczyk 2008; Piwowarczyk (Beck) Beck (parasitizing Fabaceae), mainly in stigma 2011, 2012), perhaps also when the parasite grows on colour, lips and venation of the corolla. Unfortunately, untypical or weakened hosts. A detailed description of in the original description of O. laxissima the colour the species with photos has been provided by Rätzel & of glandular hairs on the corolla is not mentioned. Uhlich (2004). The photographs in www.orowiki.org, as well as Host plants: mostly Fraxinus excelsior L., authors’­ photographs and herbal material clearly show F. pennsylvanica Marshall, Carpinus orientalis Mill., that hair colour is pale, white or bright yellow. This Cornus mas L., Ligustrum vulgare L. (Rätzel & Uhlich excludes ­O. laxissima from the grex Glandulosae Beck, 2004). containing­ e.g. O. reticulata Wallr. and O. alba Stephan Habitat, plant communities, and ex Willd. a b u n d a n c e : moist, shady or semishady places in In spite of its distinctive habit, it has been confused deciduous forests, parasitic on roots of woody plants in in the literature with another species occurring in the submontane zone (ca. 250-950 m a. s. l.), usually in similar habitats, namely, O. hederae Duby (parasite of communities of the alliance Carpinion orientalis, the helix L. and H. colchica (K. Koch) K. Koch). Querco pubescenti-Carpinetum orientalis, with some O. laxissima ­has quite a distinctive habit, pink or deep species from the association Pistacio muticae-Junipere­ purple flowers (20-24 mm long) with yellow colouring tum excelsae. Orobanche laxissima occurs most often inside the corolla. Shoots deep pink, violet or purple, in large groups of about 100 up to 2000 shoots (Rätzel often yellow or light yellow (Fig. 1). Many species of the & Uhlich 2004; www.orowiki.org). genus Orobanche, e.g. O. alba, O. alsatica Kirschl., O. F l o w e r i n g p e r i o d : (May) June to July. bartlingii Griseb., O. caryophyllacea Sm., O. hederae

Fig. 1. Plant habit of Orobanche laxissima in Gabala (Azerbaijan) (photograph by I. Tatanov, 9 June 2012) Biodiv. Res. Conserv. 32: 25-28, 2013 27

3. Results in botanical gardens (Halamski 2005; Piwowarczyk ­& Kirpluk 2011)]; O. sogdiana Novopokrovskij, parasitic During a revision of the genus Orobanche in the on Amygdalus L., is endemic to Pamir-Alay (Novo­ herbarium LE in Saint Petersburg in 2013, the first pokrovskij & Tzvelev 1958; Kabulov 1978); O. tran­ author (RP) found O. laxissima (labelled as Orobanche scaucasica Tzvelev, parasitic on Rhus coriaria L., is sp.) collected together with the hosts Carpinus L. and endemic to the Caucasus (Novopokrovskij & Tzvelev Ligustrum L. from Russia (Dagestan) and Azerbaijan 1958; Carlón et al. 2005); while O. ebuli Huter & Rigo, (Fig. 2). on Sambucus ebulus L., is endemic to Italy, restricted to New localities. Russia: Dagestan, Tabasaran the districts of Abruzzi and Lazio (Lattanzi et al. 1999). District, left bank of the river Rubas-chai above the New localities of Orobanche laxissima reported village of Huchni, in bushes on a slope. Corolla dirty- from the Greater Caucasus in Russia (Dagestan) and pink, yellowish inside (with a host: Ligustrum), 23 June Azerbaijan are the easternmost sites known for this 1961, leg. N. N. Tzvelev, S. K. Cherepanov, G. N. Nepli, species, so they extend its distribution range. The dis- A. E. Bobrov (LE, 1681); Azerbaijan: Gabala Hanlar covered localities are situated in the highest altitudes of (“Russian forest”), 1400-1500 m, near a stream (with the occurrence O. laxissima in the Caucasus. Parasiting hosts: Carpinus and Ligustrum), 9 June 2012, leg. L. I. on shrubs and trees as a phenomenon is rare among the Krupkina, B. I. Tatanov, B. B. Svanova (LE). Orobanche, so another example of O. laxissima is very interesting and valuable. Probably, more populations of 4. Conclusions this species can be found in the Caucasus Mts. Acknowledgements. We thank curators of the herbarium Orobanche species parasitic on roots of trees, in Sankt Petersburg (LE) for providing us with herbarium characterized­ by generally narrow distribution ranges, materials. We are also grateful to Holger Uhlich for confir- are most often endemic. For example, O. lucorum mation of species identification. This work was supported by A. Braun ex Koch is a parasite of Berberis L., rarely the Polish State Committee for Scientific Research (grant no. Crataegus or Rubus L., and occurs only in alpine sites of N N303 551939). the Central Alps [the species is occasionally cultiva­ted

Fig. 2. Distribution of Orobanche laxissima in the Caucasus Mts. (after Rätzel & Uhlich 2004; www.orowiki.org; modified and supplemented) Explanations: ▲ – new locality, ● – earlier locality 28 Renata Piwowarczyk & Ivan Tatanov Orobanche laxissima Uhlich & Rätzel (Orobanchaceae) – a new species for Dagestan...

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