Restoration of Taxonomy and the Conservation Status of the Iranian Endemic and Rare Species Ophrys turcomanica (Orchidaceae) in the Flora of Iran

Abstract

The endemic and rare species of Ophrys turcomanica is collected for the central herbarium of Iran (TARI) from its type locality in Golestan province after about half a century from its first report in the Flora Iranica. Based on the evidence obtained from the morphological study of the newly-collected sample, the taxonomic status of this species which is often mentioned as the synonym of O. sphegodes subsp. mammosa, O. sphegodes subsp. transhyrcana and O. sphegodes subsp. mammosa var. transhyrcana is discussed. The description of the species is provided. To evaluate its conservation status based on the IUCN method, the populations of this species are studied by three criteria: Extent of Occurrence (EOO), Area of Occupancy (AOO), and the size of the population. Based on field evidence and calculations of the sample plot, the area occupied by the species is 300 m2 and its presence is 1 km2. Therefore, the conservation status of this species is strongly determined at the level of ‘critically endangered(CR)’. Images of the habitat and inflorescence are presented.

Keywords

• conservation status
• endemic species
• flora of iran
• ophrys