Author: آمنه غلامی 
Silene behboudiana Rech.
Parvin Salehi Shanjani, Sara Nikkhah and Mohammad Mahmoodi
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: Ovate – oblong
Fruit size: Length 9.5 to 15.5 mm, width 4.5 to 6 mm
Seed shape: Reniform to circular, slightly compressed, side faces flat to slightly concave, hilum sunken. Surface tuberculate in concentric rows, dull, brown
Seed size: Length 1.24 to 1.54 mm, width 1.11 to 1.30 mm in an accession from Goltapeh, Zanjan, with 1000 seeds weight 1.3 g, which was collected and identified in 2016 by Mohammad Mahmoodi, and is stored in the Natural Resources Gene Bank of Iran with an accession number of 46105.
Average 1000 seed weight: 1.3 g
Biological features
Life form: Perennial, subshrub, pubescent. Stems numerous, erect, 18 to 55 cm long
Inflorescence, flower type, and pollination mechanism: Inflorescence reduced cymose, terminal, with 1 to 5 flowers; flowers regular, calyx is gamosepalous, cylindrical-claviform, with 5 teeth, corolla petaliferous, with 5 petals, petals color green to brown, sometimes whitish. Plant monoecious, cross-pollinated. Pollination is carried out by insects and wind.
Time of flowering: Spring and early summer
Time of seed ripening: Late spring and mid-summer
Seed dispersal methods: Seed weight
Geographical distribution: Endemic to Iran. Typus from Mountain Alamout, Qazvin
Distribution in Iran: Northwest, West, Center and South. Mostly in Provinces Mostly in the provinces of Azerbaijan, Zanjan, Qazvin, Tehran, Kermanshah, Isfahan, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Bakhtiari, Yazd, Kerman and Hormozgan
Taxonomy
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Genus: Silene
Species: S. behboudiana
Persian name: Silene-e gerehdar-e shirazi
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.
