Author: آمنه غلامی 
Astragalus diversus podlech & Maassoumi
Mohammad Dadmand, Masoumeh Ramezani Yeganeh and Hamideh Fakhrranjbari
Natural Resources Gene Bank, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Tehran, Iran.
Uploaded at December 2025
Scientific editor: Parvin Salehi Shanjani
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: Bilocular, linear, horizontal or inverted, with a stalk at base, stalk straight or upwardly curved, slightly convex in the ventral part, completely convex in the dorsal part, narrowed to the apex, beaked, valves sometimes yellow to brown, with scattered purple-brown spots, pubescent
Fruit size: Length 30 to 35 mm, thickness 2.5 mm
Seed shape: Asymmetrically cordiform or reniform, sometimes laterally compressed, slightly flattish, hilum sunken. Surface wrinkled, glabrous, slightly lustrous, brown, with faint spotted
Seed size: Length 3.06 to 3.64 mm, width 1.63 to 2.26 mm in an accession from Ahar, East Azarbayjan, with 1000 seeds weight 5.05 g, which was collected and identified in 2019 by Hamideh Fakhrranjbari and is stored in the Natural Resources Gene Bank of Iran with an accession number 48345
Average 1000 seed weight: 5.05 g
Biological features
Life form: Subshrub, Prennial, about 25 to 35 cm high, pubescent, stemless
Inflorescence, flower type, and pollination mechanism: Inflorescence raceme, with 12 to 30 flowers; flowers hermaphrodite, zygomorphic, papilionaceous, corolla (composed of banner: upper large petal, wings: two petals adjacent to the banner, and keel: two bottom petals) greenish yellow, wings longer than the keel. Plant monoecious, cross-pollinated. Pollination is carried out by insects and wind.
Time of flowering: Late spring
Time of seed ripening: Early summer
Seed dispersal methods: Seed weight and animals
Geographical distribution: Endemic to Iran. Typus from Ahar, eastern Azarbayjan
Distribution in Iran: Northwest. Mostly in province eastern Azarbayjan
Taxonomy
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Astragalus
Species: A. diversus
Persian name: Gavan
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 Fargasova 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.
Javadi, H. 2021. Seed: Processing and Quality tests. Agricultural Education & Extension Publishers, 175 pp.
Maassoumi, A.A. 2018. Flora of Iran, Fabaceae (Astragalus III). Institute of Forests and Rangelands Press, Tehran, Iran, Publication No. 145, 52 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 Delh
