Phytotaxa 350 (3): 297–299 http://www.mapress.com/j/pt/ Copyright © 2018 Magnolia Press Correspondence PHYTOTAXA ISSN 1179-3155 (print edition) ISSN 1179-3163 (online edition) Accepted by James Boatwright: 18 Apr. 2018; published: 23 May 2018 https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.350.3.9 297 Rediscovery of Astragalus saganlugensis (Fabaceae, Galegeae) in Iran after 184 years ALI BAGHERI 1* , ALI ASGHAR MAASSOUMI 2 & ERNST VITEK 3 1 Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran 2 Botany Research Division, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organiza- tion (AREEO), Tehran, Iran 3 Department of Botany, Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Burgring 7, 1010 Wien, Austria *Author for correspondence Astragalus Linnaeus (1753: 755) (Fabaceae), with about 240 sections and 3000 species, is the largest genus of flowering plants (Podlech & Zarre 2013). Sect. Hypoglottidei De Candolle (1825: 281) with 46 species is one of the taxonomically most problematic sections. The majority of these species grow in Turkey and Iran (Chamberlain & Matthews 1970; Podlech et al. 2010; Podlech & Zarre 2013). Astragalus saganlugensis Trautvetter (1858: 323) is common in both countries, but also in Armenia and Azerbaijan. Trautvetter (1858) described this species as a member of section Hypoglottidei, but did not designate type material for the species. Podlech and Sytin (1996) were the first to choose a lectotype for this species. The name Oxytropis mollissima C.A.Mey. ex Bunge (1869: 87) is listed as “unresolved” in The Plant List (www. theplantlist.org accessed January 2018). It was used by C.A. Meyer on sheet labels (‘in schedis’) of many specimens collected by J.N. Szovits from NW of Iran. Bunge in his ‘Generis Astragali species gerontogaeae’ (1869) listed this name as a synonym under Astragalus saganlugensis. However, this name is not validly published and should be considered a “nom. nud.”. Therefore, the specimens labelled as Oxytropis mollissima do not represent types, but they are authentic materials of Astragalus saganlugensis. These specimens collected by J.N. Szovits are the first records of Astragalus saganlugensis for the flora of Iran, collected in 1828 (Lamond 1973). Most recently the species was rediscovered by the first and second authors who recollected the species 184 years later from NW of Iran in 2012 (Fig. 1). The recollected specimen was deposited in TARI. Taxonomic treatment Astragalus saganlugensis Trautv., Bull. Cl. Phys.-Math. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Pétersbourg 16: 323. 1858. ≡ Tragacantha saganlugensis (Trautv.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. 2: 947. 1891. Lectotype (designated by Podlech and Sytin, 1996):—TURKEY. In Turcia asiatica, inter montes saganlugenses et Arserum (Erzerum), 19 August 1855, Lagowski s.n. (LE!: sheet marked as lectotypus, photo MSB!; iso: G-BOIS!, LE!: photo E!). = Oxytropis mollissima C.A.Mey. ex Bunge, nom. nud. in syn. Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint Pétersbourg, Sér. 7 15(1): 87 (1869). Authentic specimens:—Persia, Azerbeidschan [Azarbaijan Garbi, distr. Khoi versus limites Turciae (locality added fide Podlech & Zarre 2013, Vol. 2: 974)], s. dat., Szovits 545 [P 00623257!, W 0076233!, W-Rchb 1889-0152923!, W-Rchb 1889-0357314!] Other synonyms (according to Podlech & Zarre 2013, Vol. 2: 973): = A. phanothrix Bornm., Magyar Bot. Lapok 14: 52. 1915. = A. sapozhnikovii Schischk., Izv. Tomsk. Gosud. Univ. 81: 477. 1928. ≡ A. saganlugensis var. sapozhnikovii (Schischk.) Ponert, Feddes Repert. 83: 620. 1973.