In order to study the interaction effects of salinity and ascorbic acid on the photosynthetic pigments, soluble sugar, proline, and protein in Satureja khuzestanica plant, factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design (salinity in 4 levels 0, 40, 80 and 120g in 100kg soil and ascorbic acid in 2 levels 0 and 2 mM ) with 6 replicates. The results showed that salt stress reduced photosynthetic pigments amount by increasing the soil salinity from 0 to 40g NaCl in 100kg soil and then increased by 80g NaCl in 100kg soil and again decreased by concentration of 120g NaCl in 100kg soil. The amount of solouble sugar, proline and protein by the soil salinity increased from 0 to 40g in 100kg soil and then decreased in concentration of 80g NaCl in 100kg soil, in 120g NaCl in 100 kg soil increased amount of characters. In present of ascorbic acid photosynthetic pigments amount of pigments increased by increase the soil salinity from 0 to 40g NaCl in 100kg soil and then decreased by 80g NaCl in 100kg soil and again increased by concentration of 120g NaCl in 100kg soil. But, amount of solouble sugar, proline and protein by the soil salinity decreased from 0 to 40g in 100kg soil and then increased in concentration of 80g NaCl in 100kg soil. Finally, in 120g NaCl in 100kg soil decreased amount of characters.

The increasing influence of APG classification system necessitates an update on taxa recorded in most regional floras including Iran. Many changes in circumscriptions of families and orders have occurred in APG in comparison with other classification systems. However, here we only attempt to emphasize on changes in the Iranian flora, especially in comparison with “Flora Iranica” and “Flora of Iran”. Of the overall 132 family names which have been mentioned here, 22 families are not found in Flora Iranica. Based on the APG IV system, 21 families which had been mentioned in Flora Iranica for Iran should be merged with other families. Accordingly, the angiosperms of Iran comprise 8012 species, approximately 1234 genera and 132 families placed in 39 orders. Gymnosperms (17 spp.), ferns (60 spp.) and mosses (534 spp.) included, the number of plant species of Iran exceeds approximately 8628 species. The largest angiosperms families of Iran are Fabaceae (1401 spp.) and Asteraceae (1234 spp.) in terms of number of species, and Asteraceae, Poaceae, Apiaceae and Fabaceae in terms of number of genera. The largest angiosperm order of Iran in terms of family number is Caryophyllales. The largest genera of Iran are Astragalus with about 830 species and Cousinia with about 280 species. In the two latest versions of APG a linear sequence of families is provided to be used by herbarium curators.

The genus Elaeagnus (Elaeagnaceae) has been introduced in Iran by one or two species, i. e. E. angustifolia and E. orientalis . The species are widely cultivated trees, but native in a few localities. They are extremely variable in shape of leaves and fruits. Fruits used to be eaten highly and as they have variable tastes, the preferred ones have been subject to selection in the course of time. Nowadays, several distinct cultivars are known in Iran. The species and cultivars were studied in the field and different herbaria in Iran. In this paper a single Shurei^, are^، Kolahi^, and^، Churuk^,,^، Khormai^,,^، Anabi^,,^، Shekari^,,^، species E. angustifolia and its six cultivars, i.e.introduced from Iran

Silene ghahremaninejadii (Caryophyllaceae) is described as a new species to science in this article based on critical differences in certain characters of both vegetative and reproductive organs, compared with its closely related taxa, i.e. S. marschallii and S. ruprechtii. The new species has compact caudex, glabrous leaves and pedicles, cylindrical calyx without indumentums on its inner surface, deeply bifid petals without coronal scales and glabrousfilaments. In addition, a hypothesis about the speciation process of the species is proposed.

Salvia leriifolia Benth. from Lamiaceae family is a plant native to Iran and Afghanistan with significant applications in medical, pharmaceutical and food industries. The aim of current investigation was to evaluate the composition and antioxidant activity of essential oils (EOs) of S. leriifolia growing naturally in Neyshabur and Bajestan (Northeast of Iran). The aerial parts of the plant were subjected to hydro-distillation and the EOs were analyzed with GC/MS. According to the results, 1,8-cineole (20.24%, 26.39 %), α-pinene (15.14%, 14.39 %) and β-pinene (24.33%, 26.01%) were the main constituents of the EOs of the plant populations in Bajestan and Neyshabur, respectively. Antioxidant activity of the EOs was measured by three different methods, 2,2´-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) and β-carotene bleaching (BCB). The total EO and three standards (α-pinene, β -pinene and 1,8-cineole) displayed a significant antioxidant effect in all assays. Antioxidant activities obtained by means of TBARS and BCB methods were higher than those measured by the DPPH assay. Moreover, BCB was proved to be the most appropriate method for measurement of antioxidant activity. The EOs of the plants grown in Neyshabur showed stronger antioxidant effects in comparison with those grown in Bajestan.

Trigonella L. is one of the important genera of the family Fabaceae, many species of which have nutritional and medicinal properties. In this investigation, morphological characters related to habit and pollen grain of three Trigonella species i.e., T. disperma, T. subenervis and T. aphanoneura were studied. Oils from the aerial parts of two species were investigated by GC and GC/MS methods and compared with T. disperma, which had been studied in advance. T. subenervis represented oils rich in spathulenol (15.1%). It also contained a small amount of germacrene D (0.6%). T. aphanoneura also represented oils rich in spathulenol (10.4%). The amount of four compounds in this species was ≤1%, and n-octyl acetate was the lowest component in quantity. According what we found out, phytochemical and morphological data could clarify the relationships among the Trigonellaspecies better than pollen morphological data

 Specimens collected from the forest areas of Mazandaran Province (Iran), Kojour, between Lashkenareh

and Gandis-Kala village showed significant characteristics. At first glance, these specimens looked similar to A. szowitsianum, but with no indumentum on fruit. Further studies showed that those specimens belong to a new species, Alyssum mazandaranicum Mirzadeh & Assadi sp. nov., which was confined to the ecotone area between Euro-Siberian and Irano -Turanian regions. More populations of this new species were also found in other localities with similar ecological circumstances. Here, the new species is described, illustrated and compared with the closest taxon.

Tripleurospermum transcaucasicum (Manden.) Pobed (Asteraceae, Anthemideae) is newly recorded from East Azarbayejan Provice, NW Iran. It is morphologically similar to T. caucasicum (Willd.) Hayek and T. monticolum (Boiss. & A.Huet) Bornm. The morphological and anatomical diagnostic characters of new record are compared with closely related species. The geographical distribution of new records and related species in Iran are presented.

During the taxonomic revision of the genus Glaucium, G. contortuplicatum var. hirsutum is described as a new variety. This taxon differs from the type variety by having dense and appressed trichomes all along ovary (or junior silique). Leaf epidermis micro-characters of these two taxa are also compared. G. leiocarpum and G. elegans var. integerrima are reduced to synonymy of G. flavum and G. elegans var. elegans, respectively. Additionally, morphological characters and geographical distribution of the taxa studied in the world and in Iran are presented.

The pollen grains of 34 populations, representing 16 species of Consolida (DC.) Gray, have been examined by LM and SEM. The polar axis (P), equatorial diameter (E), P/E ratio and exine patterns were measured. The pollen grains were found out to be 3-zonocolpate, euprolate to subprolate. The shortest polar axis to belong to C. tehranica (Boiss.) Rech.f. and the longest to belong to C. trigonelloides (Boiss.) Munz (28.15-37.3 µm); the shortest equatorial axis to belong to C. stocksiana (Boiss.) Nevski. and the longest to C. orientalis Schrödinger (17.5-25.2 µm). Based on exine ornamentation observed under SEM, two types of pollen grains were recognized. Type I, exine distinctly thickened at poles with broad colpi and stronglymicro-echinate sculpturing, and type II, with exine obtuse at poles, narrow colpi and weekly micro-echinate sculpturing. Pictures of all species and characteristics of pollen grain structure were presented. Our results showed that pollen shape and sculpturing were diagnostic characters for distinguishing the species. Although they did not suffice enough to resolve taxonomic conflicts in the genus, our results confirmed embed of Aconitella in Consolida due to the occurrence of Aconitella species in two pollen groups.

In a revision of annual Silene species some interesting specimens were observed, which belonged to the sp-ecies that had not been previously reported in detail from Iran. In this paper S. nocturna from the section Scorpioideae was added to the checklist of the third important genus of the flora of Iran, i.e. Silene, and new localities for S. gallica from the section Lasiocalycinae were reported. The description, geographical distribution in Iran and photos of each sp-ecies were also presented

This paper concerns itself with the study of sand beaches of the Boujagh National Park with an area of 3477 ha. The purposes of this study include the determination of the plant species diversity and plant groups. In ad-dition, the determination of the impact of environmental and specific variables on the presence or absence of certain species and their communities is another aim that the study follows. In order to attain those purposes, 52 plots across 6 transects of the district were used. In each plot, the materials were identified and abundance-dominance of species by using Braun-Blanquet criteria were obtained and their life forms were determined according to Raunkiaer clas-sification. To determine the plant groups, a Two-way analysis of significant modified species (Modified TWINSP-AN) was utilized. Detrended Canonical Analysis (DCA) was used to determine factors affecting plant groups. The results showed that four plant groups exist in this district: Convolvulus persicus-Crepis foetida subsp. Foetida grou-p, Argusia sibirica group, Eryngium caucasicum-Juncus acutus group and Rubus sanctus group. The first and seco-nd groups consist of higher percentages of therophytes and spread in areas where the soil contains more sand. Plants in the third and fourth groups spread in areas with stabilized sand and high percentage of silt. DCA analysis results showed that soil factors (texture, OC, Na, K, N, Ca, Mg) have significant relation with plant groups were studied. Among the plant groups, the percentage of silt and sand, species richness and life forms of therophytes and geop-hytes show significant relations. Therefore it can be concluded that these factors affect on the separation and distri-bution of plant groups.

The peduncle anatomy in 35 populations, which belonged to 18 taxa of Scrophularia L., were studied. Am-ong 37 quantitative and qualitative characters related to peduncle anatomy, several traits showed more taxonomic value for taxa delimitation, including presence of palisade parenchyma and the number of its layers, the presence of phloem fiber, the presence of bundle sheath, the presence of lamellar collenchyma at ridge location and the number of its layers, the dimensions of cross section, thickness of vascular bundle, the dimensions of pith parenchyma, thickness of xylem, thickness of parenchymatous part and thickness of lamellar collenchyma at ridge location. Finally, in comparison with the results obtained by Grau (1981), in which 12 groups have been introduced, the current study confirms the validity of 3 groups. However, for the remaining groups, no noticeable concordance was found.

Lipase is one of the most important hydrolytic enzymes widely used in various commercial activities such as food, dairy, pharmaceutical and detergent inducteries. In this experiment, Taguchi method was attempted as a powerful method to optimize the factors affecting enzyme production and to investigate the interactions among these factors and their optimum combination in Salinivibrio sp. SA2. The optimum conditions for pH, temperature, shaker's rpm, olive oil concentration and salt type turned out to be 8, 35 °C, 100 rpm, 2% and sodium chloride 1 M, respectively. Significant factors influencing on the lipase production proved to be pH, agitation and Salt type. The maximum lipase activity in optimum condition and at the 5% significance level (p< 0.05) was 120.4 U/mg.

Chemical pesticides possess toxic and destructive impacts on the reproductive system and disrupt endocrine function. In this experimental study, the effect of movento, as a chemical pesticide, was investigated in comparison with chitosan, a biological pesticide, on the female reproductive system in vivo. In this study, 56 mice were randomly dived into 7 groups including control and experimental groups treated with movento and chitosan. After a 21-day treatment, mice were killed and their ovaries and blood being collected. In addition, the samples were fixed and stained with H & E method. The results exhibited that treatment with 2.5 and 5 mg/kg chitosan had no significant effect on the number and diameter of primary, secondary and antral follicles, while these items were significantly reduced in 10 mg/kg ch-itosan group and all movento-treated groups as well. In addition, the level of sexual hormones, such as estradiol, FSH and LH, was decreased in 10 mg/kg chitosan group and all movento-treated groups in comparison with the control gr-oup. The findings showed that movento affected the sexual hormone levels, ovary and ovarian follicle structure and in-duced abnormality in female reproductive system, while chitosan, as a biological pesticide, should be used due to its minimum effects on female reproductive system

In the research project performed, the effects of different levels of hydro-alcoholic extract Vitex agnus-castus were investigated as nutritional supplement on growth parameters of Danio rerio for 4 months. Since the beginning of the feeding phase up to the age of 4 months (average weight: 2.1±0.1g, length: 5.2±0.3 cm), larvae were fed with expe-rimental diets. Fish treated with diets containing plant extracts had higher growth and survival rate than the control gr-oup (p<0.05). Differences in the level of the extract had no significant effect on the survival rate (p<0.05). The results revealed that the diet containing 15 gr of the extract resulted in the best FCR significantly (p<0.05). By increasing the extract in the diet during the experiment, SGR increased. The highest and the lowest %BWG were observed in treatm-ents T3 and T0 respectively (p<0.05). The highest CF was observed in T3 and the lowest was obtained in T0. All in all, this study proposed that the addition of 15 gr of hydro-alcoholic extract of Vitex agnus-castus in the diet of zebrafish could improve the performance of the growth indices and increase the final biomass. In addition, this extract could be considered as a suitable supplement for Cyprinidae diet.

The effects of some pretreatments including blue-green and green algae and minerals on the induction of me-tabolic and biochemical process of germination were studied in Dracocephalum kotschyi Boiss. seeds. The seeds were pretreated with green algae Spirulina platensis, Chlorella vulgaris and Dunaliella bardawil or D. IR-1 (Isolated from Gave-Khooni-salt marsh) and modified Johnson nutrient medium. Dunaliella species belong to salt marshs and waters, hence their medium was prepared by means of 0.6 % NaCl. Spirulina's nutrient medium (NM) included 0.1% NaCl. The activities of α-amylase, ß-amylase, dehydrogenase, content of total sugar, reducing sugars and total protein (all we-re measured after priming) increased in comarsion with control. Treatment without NaCl and the treatment with 0.1 % NaCl caused the highest amount of the parameters mentioned. In the presence of salt (often at 0.6 % NaCl), algae could not improve and increase the parameters. In contrast, in the absence of salt, the positive effects of algae increased. Ge-rmination indices and length of shoots and roots which were measured after sowing the seeds into Petri-dishes, showed some positive effects regarding the pretreatments. Spirulina cells filteration with or without NM (including 0.1% NaCl) caused the highest activities in α-amylase and ß-amylase and the highest amount of total sugar and FGP. Chlorella filt-eration led to the increment of dehydrogenase activity and also the root's lenght. Dunaliella cells filteration in NM (without salt) increased α-amylase and ß-amylase activities and the reducing sugars.

Application of some chemical components including plant hormones such as methyl jasmonate causes resi-stance to increase in environmental stresses. In this study, the effect of metyl jasmonate in different concentrations (10, 20 and 30 uM) on the elevation of the plant resistance was investigated in drouht stress. Tobacco seedlings were studied under drought stress caused by polyethylene glycol (20%) during periods of 3, 6 and 9 days. The results revealed that the imposed stress significantly increased soluble sugar content, MDA and non-enzymatic defense factors such as ant-hocyanin and proline. In contrast, it is reduced the amount of photosynthetic pigments, carotenoids and flavonoids. On the other hand, the use of methyl jasmonate decreased malondialdehyde as a marker of lipid peroxidation and values of some detent factors such as proline, beta-carotene and MDA. Meanwhile, it increased the amount of soluble sugars and photosynthetic pigments, anthocyanins, flavonoids and flavonols. As a result of the simultaneous reduction of lipid pe-roxidation and some antioxidants, it seems that using exogenous methyl jasmonate can help the plant withstand against drought stress conditions.

Garra rufa is one of the 73 Garra species of the family Cyprinidae. Scales are used more commonly than any other structure in population dynamic studies, because of their transparency, ease of sampling, and the minimal in-juries caused to the fish during their removal. To discriminate fish from different rivers including Bashar, Behbahan, Gerdab, Kheirabad, Kooshk-e-Bahram, Mazoo, Palangan, Sendegan, Shoor-Abad, and Sirvan Rivers using geometric morphometric analyses of the scale shape, landmark based geometric morphometrics method was used. Seven landmark points were depicted on each scale using the software TpsDig2. After procrustes analyses, landmark data were exposed to principle component analysis (PCA), CVA, and cluster analyses using the past software. The results showed that th-ere were significant scale shape differences among some populations, but most of the samples showed overlapping sh-ape distribution and could not be separated robustly. Among the samples which were analyzed, only the Sendegan and Gerdab river samples did not show significant difference in scale shape compared to all other samples.

The evolutionary trend of the morphological characters of the genus Stachys in Iran, on the basis of nrITS se-quence data, was investigated. A total of 28 nrITS sequences, representing 26 species of Stachys as well as Betonica of-ficinalis and Melittis mellisophyllum, were obtained from GenBank. Patterns of character evolution were assessed for 10 vegetative and reproductive characters with emphasis on taxonomic treatments of Stachys performed earlier to infer its history and interpret processes of change. The most important characters included habitat, growth form, leaf morp-hology, inflorescence, calyx and corolla as well as trichome morphology. Phylogenetic tree, based on the nrITS dataset, were constructed by Bayesian analysis. Parsimony mapping was performed in Mesquite v. 1.12. The present analysis revealed that the state of symmetrical calyx, the presence of basal leaves as well as the presence of glandular trichomes were not in agreement with the results of molecular data, which indicated the artificial nature of these characters in pr-evious classification. The presence of simple trichomes as well as the growth forms were consistent with phylogeny ba-sed on nrITS sequences. Evolutionary trend of morphological characters demonstrated that the sect. Eriostomum and sect. Fragilicaulis were the most primitive and the most advanced sections in Iran, respectively.