Author: آمنه غلامی 
Scorzonera calyculata Boiss.
Parvin Salehi Shanjani, Sara Nikkhah and Mohammad Mahmoodi
Natural Resources Gene Bank, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Tehran, Iran.
Uploaded at July 2025
Scientific editor: Masoumeh Izadpanah
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 not dormant. Sterilize seeds before placing them on wet germination paper. Place seeds for two 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: Achene
Fruit shape: Cylindrical-fusiform, with longitudinal ribs, lateral ribs humpy, apex with crest, bristles as long as the achene, plumose, dirty white. Surface, glabrous, dull, dirty white
Fruit size: Length 11.63 mm, width 2.28 mm in an accession from Zanjan, with 1000 seed/fruit weight 20 g, which was collected and identified in 2007 by Mohammad Mahmoodi, and is stored in the Natural Resources Gene Bank of Iran with an accession number of 46135.
Average 1000 seed/fruit weight: 20 g
Biological features
Life form: Herbaceous, perennial, Pubescent or nearly Pubescent. Stems erect, 30 to 60 cm height. Leaves cauline and basal
Inflorescence, flower type, and pollination mechanism: Inflorescences raceme-like capitate; capitulum discoid; florets hermaphrodite, yellow to white, purple at bace, with purple line on back; involucral bracts multiseriate. Plant monoecious, cross-pollinated. Pollination is carried out by insects and wind.
Time of flowering: Spring
Time of seed ripening: Summer
Seed dispersal methods: By animals, wind and seed weight
Geographical distribution: Endemic to Iran. Typus from Damavand
Distribution in Iran: North, Northwest, West, South and Center. Mostly in the provinces of Mazandaran, Tehran, Qazvin, Azarbaijan, Zanjan, Hamedan, Kermanshah, Ilam, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Arak, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Kurdistan, Fars and Bushehr
Taxonomy
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Scorzonera
Species: S. calyculata
Persian name: Shang-e Asbi Poluri
References and Links
Black, M. and Bewley, J.D. 2000. Seed technology and its biological basis. Sheffield Academic Press, 1-419 P.
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 P.
Ghahraman, A. Flore of Iran. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands with University of Tehran Publication. https://floraofiran.net/index.php.
Mozaffarian, V.A. 1998. Dictionary of Iranian plants names. Farhange Moaser Publisher, Tehran, 671 P.
Mozaffarian, V.A. 2012. A Pictorial dictionary of botany. Farhange Moaser Publisher, Tehran, 1088 P.
Safavi, S.R., Naseh, Y., Jafari, E., Tavakoli, Z. and Heydarnia, N. 2003. Flora of Iran, Asteraceae (Compositae): Tribes cichorieae. Institute of Forests and Rangelands Press, Tehran, Iran, Publication No. 77, 547 pp.
Sharma, O.P. 2009. Plant taxonomy 2E. Tata McGraw-Hill Education, New Delhi, 563 P.
