Author: آمنه غلامی 
Ferula ovina Boiss.
Parvin Salehi Shanjani, Mohammad Reza Pahlavani, Yaqoub Iranmanesh and Hassan Jahanbazi
Natural Resources Gene Bank, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Tehran, Iran.
Uploaded at october 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 dormant. Sterilize seeds before placing them on wet germination paper. Place seeds for two weeks to two months at 4 ºC to germinate uniformly. Then germinate under an alternating temperatures of 20 ºC (16 hours of light) and 15 ºC (8 hours of darkness).
Morphology
Fruit type: Schizocarp (schizocarp is an indehiscent dry fruit that consists of two not compressed or compressed lateraly/dorsally carpels called mericarp)
Fruit shape: Fruit with a swollen appearance, mericarps ellipsoid, homomorphic, compressed, dorsal side slightly covex, with five ribs, side ribs winged, ventral side slightly concave, with a central rib, apex with stylopodium and a remnant of the style. Surface glabrous, dull, brown, ribs and wings cream-colored
Fruit size: Length 6.64 to 9.04 mm, width 3.67 to 5.52 mm in an accession from Yasuj, Kohgiluyeh and Boyerahmad, with a 1000 seed/fruit weight of 29 g, which was collected and identified in 2016 by Yaqoub Iranmanesh and Hassan Jahanbazi, and is stored in the Natural Resources Gene Bank of Iran with the accession number 46093.
1000 seed/fruit weight: 10 to 32 g
Biological features
Life form: Perennial, herbaceous, monocarpic, pubescent. Stem erect, 50 to 100 cm long
Inflorescence, flower type, and pollination mechanism: Inflorescence compound umbels clustered in a loose panicle; umbels with 5 to 14 rays, 3 to 4 cm long, umbellule with 7 to 10 tiny flowers, flowers yellow. Plant monoecious, cross-pollinated. Pollination is carried out by insects and wind.
Time of flowering: Spring to early summer
Time of seed ripening: Spring to early summer
Seed dispersal methods: Seed weight and wind
Geographical distribution: Iran, Central Asia, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Typus from Persepolis, Iran
Distribution in Iran: Center, northwest, northeast and southeast. Mostly in the provinces of Tehran, Golestan, Khorasan, Isfahan, Bakhtiari, Fars and Baluchistan
Taxonomy
Family: Apiaceae
Genus: Ferula
Species: F. ovina
Persian name: Koma
References and Links
Black, M. and Bewley, J.D. 2000. Seed technology and its biological basis. Sheffield Academic Press, 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.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.
Mozaffarian V. 2008. Flora of Iran, Umbelliferae. Institute of Forests and Rangelands Press, Tehran, Iran, Publication No. 54, 592 pp.
Sharma, O.P. 2009. Plant taxonomy 2E. Tata McGraw-Hill Education, New Delhi, 563 pp.
