Author: آمنه غلامی 
Physoptychis gnaphaloides (DC.) Boiss.
Masoumeh Izadpanah, Amene Gholami and Mohammad Mahmoodi
Natural Resources Gene Bank, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Tehran, Iran.
Uploaded at february 2026
Scientific editor: Parvin Salehi Shanjani
Seed Storage
The storage behavior of this species is orthodox (desiccation-tolerant seeds), dry to 15 to 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: Silicle
Fruit shape: Baloon shape, globular to oval, beaked (in the photo beak broken), seeds in two rows
Fruit size: Length 10 to 20 mm, width 15 mm
Seed shape: Broad ellipsoid, compressed from dorsovental sides, radicle longer than cotyledons, hilum zone pale. Surface indicent reticulate, globrous, dull, brown
Seed size: Length 3.69 to 4.34 mm, width 2.63 to 3.06 mm in an accession from Mahneshan, Zanjan with 1000 seeds weight 4.45 g, which was collected and identified in 2016 by Mohammad Mahmoodi, and is stored in the Natural Resources Gene Bank of Iran with the accession number 46142.
Average 1000 seed weight: 4.45 g
Biological features
Life form: Herbaceous, perennial, dense, caespitose, 70 cm in diameter, up to 15 cm high, base covered with dried leaves of previous years, pubescent. Stems numerous. With basal and cauline leaves
Inflorescence, flower type, and pollination mechanism: Inflorescence raceme, terminal; flowers hermaphrodite, regular; polysepalous, sepals membranous at the margin, 10 mm long; polypetalous, petals subcircular, 10 to 15 mm long, color yellow. Plant monoecious, cross-pollinated. Pollination is carried out by insects and wind.
Time of flowering: July
Time of seed ripening: August
Seed dispersal methods: Seed weight
Geographical distribution: Turkey, Iran, Caucasus and Iraq, Typus from Mont. Alvand
Distribution in Iran: Mostly in provinces Mazandaran, Azerbaijan, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad.
Taxonomy
Family: Brassicaceae
Genus: Physoptychis
Species: P. gnaphaloides
Persian name: Badkonaki
References and Links
Assadi, M. Sajedi, S. Fakhr Ranjberi, H. Mirzadeh Vaghefi, S. Moazzeni, H. Khodashenas, M. Khosravi, A. R. Hatami, A. Mehrnia, M. Kaffash, Sh. Heidarnia, N. Sheidai, M. Heidari Rikan, M. Kavousi, K. Sonboli, A. Veiskarami, Gh. And Aminian, F. 2017. Flora of Iran, Brassicaceae, No.143. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands Press, Tehran, Iran, 954 pp.
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.
Sharma, O.P. 2009. Plant taxonomy 2E. Tata McGraw-Hill Education, New Delhi, 563 pp.
