ИСТИНА

Zeravschania was described by Korovin as a monotypic genus with a type species Z. regeliana distributed in Central Asia (Korovin, 1948). Later in this genus was described by another endemic species Z. scabrifolia was found also in Central Asia (Pimenov, 1983). Five other species (Z. aucheri, Z. ferulifolia, Z. membranacea and Z. pauciradiata previously treated in Peucedanum and Z. minjanensis denoted in Eleutherospermum) were added in “Flora Iranica” (Pimenov, 1987; Rechinger, 1987). The genus has been recently enlarged further by inclusion Z. stricticaulis and Z. knappii former Peucedanum species (Pimenov et al., 2007). In the taxonomical revision of the Johrenia (Pimenov et al., 2007) to Zeravaschania were attributed two species, Z. stricticaulis and Z. knappii, which were originally treated under Peucedanum. According to the morphological data of the genus Zeravschania includes 10 species, but nevertheless the question of the genus volume Zeravschania remains unclear. Zeravschania is distributed in Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia (Pamiro-Alai) Morphological and molecular data showed that the closest relatives of Zeravschania are the monotypic genera Demavendia and Haussknechtia (Pimenov et al., 2005; Valiejo-Roman et al., 2006). Pimenov (1987) described a new genus Demavendia with only species D. pastinacifolia, distributed mainly in Western and Central Iran. The genus Haussknechtia was described by Boissier (1872) in his classical “Flora Orientalis” based on Carl Haussknecht’s collections of 1868 from Southern Persia (Iran) New samples similar to Demavendia pastinacifolia was found in the herbarium St.-Petersburg (LE) from the Turkmenia (Kopetdag) and in the herbarium Mashhad (MD) from East Khorassan (Serakhs) in the Iran. These critical samples were difficult to identify without carpological data. Another interesting herbarium specimens have been found in the herbarium of Edinburgh (E) from the West of Afghanistan (Heart), similar in some respects both at Zeravschania and Demavendia. A molecular phylogenetic approach was taken to examine relationships between these genera. Molecular markers nrDNA (ITS 1,2 and ETS) were used to analyze all species of Zeravschania, Demavendia and Haussknechtia together with critical samples and their supposed relatives. Demavendia, Haussknechtia and the eight species of Zeravschania, together with critical samples formed separate well - supported clade (A). Zeravschania knappii belongs to the clade (B) distant from other species of the genus Zeravschania.. The sample considered as Demavendia pastinacifolia from East KHORASAN (MD) collected in the early stages, has identical ITS and ETS sequences to Z. stricticaulis. The sample from Turkmenistan (Kopetdag) is similar to Zeravschania stricticaulis but not identical to it. Specimens from western Afghanistan (Herat) belonged to the Zeravschania clade (ITS and ETS sequences). Thus, genus Demavendia pastinacifolia are distributed only in West and Central Iran and is not found in the East Khorassan. Zeravschania knappii form a well supported clade (B). с двумя видами Dichoropetalum (Dichoropetalum palimbioides and Dichoropetalum chryseum) и тремя видами Johrenia (Johrenia selinoides, Johrenia dichotoma and Johrenia tortuosa).The present preliminary resultes could stimulate further careful morphological and carpological investigation for reveal taxonomic status of critical samples from western Afghanistan (Herat), Turkmenistan (Kopetdag) and Iran .