Author: آمنه غلامی 
Ferula macrocolea Boiss.
Parvin Salehi Shanjani, Mohammad Reza Pahlavani and Hossein Maroufi
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: Mericarps ellipsoid, homomorphic, compressed dorsally, dorsal side flat, with five ribs, side ribs with wide wings, ventral side flat, with a central rib, with distinct sap canals on both side, apex with a depressed stylopodium. Surface glabrous, dull, brown, ribs and wings cream-colored
Fruit size: Length 16.7 to 58.10 mm, width 35.3 to 40.6 mm in a seed sample from Sanandaj, Kurdistan, with a thousand-seed weight of 14.99 g, which was collected and identified by Hossein Maroufi in 2018 and is stored in the Natural Resources Gene Bank with accession number 47525.
1000 seed/fruit weight: 11 to 22 g
Biological features
Life form: Perennial, herbaceous, monocarpic, glabrous. Stem erect, 70 to 120 cm long, grooved
Inflorescence, flower type, and pollination mechanism: Inflorescence compound umbels clustered in a loose panicle; fruiting umbels with 5 to 8 rays, 2 to 4 cm long, umbellule with 5 to 10 tiny flowers, flowers yellow. Plant monoecious, cross-pollinated. Pollination is carried out by insects and wind.
Time of flowering: Mid-spring to early summer
Time of seed ripening: Mid-spring to early summer
Seed dispersal methods: Wind and seed weight
Geographical distribution: Exclusive to Iran. Typus from Mountain Dalam
Distribution in Iran: West. Mostly in Kermanshah, Hamadan, Lorestan provinces.
Taxonomy
Family: Apiaceae
Genus: Ferula
Species: F. macrocolea
Persian name: koma-e mortafa
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.
