Author: آمنه غلامی 
Astragalus ecbatanus Bunge
Mohammad Dadmand, Masoumeh Ramezani Yeganeh, mostafa Nematy and javad Mohebi
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: Monolocular, erect or semi erect, laterally compressed, ventral and dorsal side convex or flat, pubescent, beaked
Fruit size: Length 2 to 4 mm, thickness 1 to 2 mm and width 1.5 to 3 mm
Seed shape: Elliptic, not compressed. Surface glabrous, slightly lustrous, color pale brown, with tiny scattered black spots
Seed size: Length 2.91 to 3.39 mm and width 2.17 to 2.80 mm in the seed sample was collected from Chavar, Ilam, with 1000 seed weight 6.5 g, which was collected and identified by mostafa Nematy and javad Mohebi in 2019 and is stored in the Iranian Natural Resources Gene Bank with an accession number 47416.
Average 1000 seed weight: 6.5 g
Biological Features
Life form: Perennial, subshrub or shrub, pubescent. Stems erect, open branched, 15 to 30 cm long
Inflorescence, flower type, and pollination mechanism: Inflorescence lax raceme, with 4 to 13 flowers; flowers hermaphrodite, zygomorphic, papilionaceous, corolla (composed of banner: upper large petal, wings: two petals adjacent to the banner, and keel: two bottom petals) blue or light purple, claws yellowish white, wings slightly longer than the keel. Plant monoecious, cross-pollinated. Pollination is carried out by insects and wind.
Time of flowering: Spring
Time of seed ripening: Late spring to mid-summer
Seed dispersal methods: Seed weight and animals
Geographical distribution: Endemic to Iran. Typus from border of Iran and Iraq, Kermanshah
Distribution in Iran: West and center. Mostly in Provinces Kermanshah, Ilam and Lorestan
Taxonomy
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Astragalus
Species: A. ecbatanus
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 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.
Javadi, H. 2021. Seed: Processing and Quality tests. Agricultural Education & Extension Publishers, 175 pp.
Maassoumi, A.A. 2016. Flora of Iran, Fabaceae (Astragalus II). Institute of Forests and Rangelands Press, Tehran, Iran, Publication No. 85, 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 Delh
