A new species of Anisotaenia (Apiaceae) from the Central Zagros Mountains of Iran

Abstract

A new species, Anisotaenia centrozagrica (Apiaceae), is described from a small area in the Central Zagros Mountains of western Iran. Found on rocky slopes near the Absefid waterfall in Lorestan Province, the species shows a unique combination of morphological traits, such as long, uniform terminal leaf lobes and narrow-winged mericarps that clearly set it apart from other members of the genus. Molecular analyses based on ITS and rps16 sequences support its placement as an independent lineage within Anisotaenia, closely related but separate from A. subvelutina. The new species is currently only known from a single locality representing a specific microhabitat, where it is under pressure from overgrazing and tourism-related disturbance, in addition to climate-related shifts in snow and rainfall patterns. These conditions, combined with its very narrow distribution, suggest that the species should be considered Critically Endangered under IUCN criteria. This finding adds to our understanding of species diversity in the genus and highlights the ecological importance of habitat diversity in the central Zagros region. © 2025 Société botanique de France.