Author: آمنه غلامی 
Astraglus gossypinus Fischer
Parvin Salehi Shanjani, Bahare Afsharnezhad, Hamzeh Ali Shirmardi and Amene Gholami
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 have physical-physiological dormancy and this is related to seed coat and inhibitors. To remove the seed coat, different methods of scarification can be used (sandpaper, sulfuric acid, hot water, etc.). To break dormancy, stratification with pre-chilling (for 14 days), ultrasonic waves, and hormones (Gibberellic acid 100 ppm) are efficient. The best method for breaking dormancy is rubbing the seeds with sandpaper and moist chilling (14 days at 4 °C). Then germinate under a constant temperature of 20 ºC or alternating temperature 25 ºC (16 hours of light) and 15 ºC (8 hours of dark).
Morphology
Fruit type: Pod
Fruit shape: Ovoid, one-seeded
Fruit size: Length 3 to 5 mm, width 1 to 2 mm
Seed shape: Spheric-elliptic. Surface smooth, slight lustrous, smooth, olive-brown with or without dark-brown spots
Seed size: Length 1.78 to 3.35 mm, width 1.76 to 2.71 mm in an accession from Shahrekord, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, with 1000 seeds weight 6 g, which was collected and identified in 2019 by Hamzeh Ali Shirmardi, and is stored in the Natural Resources Gene Bank of Iran with the accession number 48467.
Average 1000 seed weight: 3 to 8.07 g
Biological features
Life form: Subshrub, cushion-like, perennial, pubescent. Stems ascending, 10 to 30 cm height
Inflorescence, flower type, and pollination mechanism: Inflorescence capitate, axillary, flowers hermaphrodite, zygomorphic, papilionaceous, corolla (composed of banner: upper large petal, wings: two petals adjacent to the banner, and keel: two bottom petals) purple, blue or violet, rarely yellow, wings as long as the keel; stamens are always ten in number, and their filaments are fused in a group of nine stamens plus one separate stamen (9+1). Plant monoecious, cross-pollinated. Polination is carried out by insects.
Time of flowering: Early summer
Time of seed ripening: Mid to late summer
Seed dispersal methods: Seed weight and animals
Geographical distribution: Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Typus from Kurdistan, Iran
Distribution in Iran: North, Northwest, West, Center and South. Mostly in provinces of Azerbaijan, Gilan, Kurdistan, Ilam, Lorestan, Hamedan, Isfahan, Khuzestan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari and Tehran
Taxonomy
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Astraglus
Species: A. gossypinus
Persian name: Gavan-e panbeyi
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.
Maassoumi, A.A. 2016. Flora of Iran, No. 85: Fabaceae (Astragalus II). Institute of Forests and Rangelands Press, Tehran, Iran, 504 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.
