Author: آمنه غلامی 
Arenaria persica Boiss.
Parvin Salehi Shanjani, Sara Nikkhah, Mohammad Mahmoodi and Keyvan safikhani
Natural Resources Gene Bank, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Tehran, Iran.
Uploaded at January 2026
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: Capsule, dehiscent
Fruit shape: Cup-shape
Seed Shape: Elliptical to obovoid, compressed, thick-margined, beaked. Surface with small tubercles in concentric rows, dull, black
Seed size: Length 4.5 to 7 mm, width 3 to 5.5 mm in an accession from Ganjnameh, Hemedan, with 1000 seeds weight 1.4 g, which was collected and identified in 2017 by Mohammad Mahmoodi and Keyvan safikhani, and is stored in the Natural Resources Gene Bank of Iran with the accession number 46623.
Average 1000 seed weight: 1.4 g
Biological features
Life form: Herbaceous, perennial, caespitose. Stems numerous, erect, slender, 6 to 27 cm long, leafy only at the base
Inflorescence, flower type, and pollination mechanism: Inflorescence cymose, loose, up to 7 flowers; flower perfect, tiny, calyx polysepalous, with 5 sepals, corolla with 5 petals, white. Plant monoecious, cross-pollinated. Pollination is carried out by insects and wind.
Time of flowering: Late spring to early summer
Time of seed ripening: Summer
Seed dispersal methods: Seed weight
Geographical distribution: Endemic to Iran. Typus from Mountain Dalam, Damavand
Distribution in Iran: North, West and, Center. Mostly in provinces Hamedan, Arak, Fars, Alborz, Tehran, Mazandaran, Isfahan, Lorestan, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad
Taxonomy
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Genus: Arenaria
Species: A. persica
Persian name: Marjani-e irani
References and Links
Asadi, M., Fadaei, F., Tawakli, Z., Heydari Rikan, M., Mostafavi, G., Mahdavi, M., Poursakhi, K. and Nejad Flatori, A. 2023. Flora of Iran. Charyophyllaceae. Institute of Forests and Rangelands Press, Tehran, Iran, Publication, No. 168, 987 pp.
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.
Sharma, O.P. 2009. Plant taxonomy 2E. Tata McGraw-Hill Education, New Delhi, 563 P.
