Author: آمنه غلامی 
Ferula assa-foetida L.
Parvin Salehi Shanjani, Bahare Afsharnezhad and Hamzehali Shirmardi
Natural Resources Gene Bank, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Tehran, Iran.
Uploaded at July 2024
Scientific editor: Mohammad Dadmand
Seed Storage
The storage behavior of this species is orthodox (desiccation-tolerant seeds), dry to 15-20% eRH, and store at -20°C.
Germination requirements
The seeds of this species are dormant. Sterilize seeds before placing them on wet germination paper. Place seeds for 4 to 8 weeks at 4 ºC to germinate uniformly. Then germinate under an alternating temperature regime of 15/20 ºC (the higher temperature for 16 hours in light and the lower one for eight hours in dark).
Morphology
Fruit type: Schizocarp
Fruit shape: Ellipsoid, compressed dorsally, homomorphic, dorsal side with three thin ribs, lateral ribs broad, winged, ventral side with some thin vittae. Surface with longitudinal thin strips, dull, glabrous, brown, wings cream color
Seed size: Length 8.63 to 19.76 mm, width 3.89 to 7.60 mm in an accession from Kuhrang, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari with 1000 seeds weight 18 g, which was collected and identified in 2019 by Hamzehali Shirmardi and is stored in the Natural Resources Gene Bank of Iran with the accession number of 48487.
Average 1000 seed weight: 10 to 33 g
Biological features
Life form: Herbaceous, annual, glabrous. Stems grooved, erect, 100 to 150 cm height, 30 to 50 mm diameter
Inflorescence, flower type, and pollination mechanism: Inflorescence compound umbel, fertile umbel with 20 to 50 rays, about 5 cm in long, umbellule with 17 to 20 flowers, flowers yellow. Plant monoecious, cross-pollinated. Pollination is carried out by insects and wind.
Time of flowering: Spring
Time of seed ripening: Spring
Seed dispersal methods: Wind
Geographical distribution: Endemic to Iran. Typus from Lar, Fars, Iran
Distribution in Iran: Center and South. Mostly in provinces Isfahan, Yazd and Bandar Abbas
Taxonomy
Family: Apiaceae
Genus: Ferula
Species: F. assa-foetida
Common name: Assafoetida, Devil’s Dung
Persian name: Anghozeh
References and Links
Black, M. and Bewley, J.D. 2000. Seed technology and its biological basis. Sheffield Academic Press, 1-419 pp.
Bojňanský, V. and Fargašová, A. 2007. Atlas of seeds and fruits of central and East-European flora: the Carpathian Mountains region. Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 1046 pp.
Ghahraman, A. Flore of Iran. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands with University of Tehran Publication. https://floraofiran.net/index.php.
Mozaffarian V. 2007. Flora of Iran, No. 54: Umbelliferae. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands Press, Tehran, Iran, 596 pp.
Mozaffarian, V.A. 1998. Dictionary of Iranian plants names. Farhange Moaser Publisher, Tehran, 671 pp.
Mozaffarian, V.A. 2012. A Pictorial dictionary of botany. Farhange Moaser Publisher, Tehran, 1088 pp.
Sharma, O.P. 2009. Plant taxonomy 2E. Tata McGraw-Hill Education, New Delhi, 563 pp.
