University of Isfahan Taxonomy and Biosystematics 3115-9001 18 68 2026 04 01 Taxonomy of Acantholimon species in southern Iran: A molecular phylogenetic approach 29 38 30234 10.22108/tbj.2026.147757.1327 EN Hossein Bibak Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran Shahrokh Kazempour Osaloo Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran Mostafa Assadi Botany Research Division, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands Journal Article 2025 12 13 Acantholimon (Plumbaginaceae) is one of the most diverse genera in Iran with 83 accepted species. Approximately 22 species are documented in the south regions of the country, 16 of which are endemic, mainly restricted to Kerman province. For this study, approximately 45 specimens were collected and analyzed to investigate taxonomic and molecular relationships. Significant taxonomic value was found in characters such as inflorescence type, flower measurements, and calyx morphology/venation. Twenty-two species (45 accessions) from four sections were analyzed using Maximum Parsimony and Bayesian methods based on nrDNA ITS and plastid rpl32-trnL (UAG) sequences. Both datasets yielded similar, highly congruent phylogenetic trees, revealing that the Acantholimon sections in southern Iran are not monophyletic. Notably, the A. scorpius population clustered with individuals from A. spinicalyx, despite morphological differences. This research concludes with the development of a comprehensive diagnostic key and a species distribution map for the southern Iranian taxa. These findings establish a crucial foundation for future studies on the phylogeny, classification, identification, and conservation of the genus.

https://tbj.ui.ac.ir/article_30234_cb6131b4a4653cd616f9b52dbd04740d.pdf