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Pedicularis L. (Orobanchaceae) is a large hemiparasitic genus, distributed mostly over boreal and arctic-alpine regions of the northern hemisphere. In the present study 9 species of the genus that are reported in flora of Iran, were undertaken for stigma morphological study and numerical analysis. The stigmatic surface is even in P. pycnantha and P. wilhelmsiana, is expanded into a subspherical shape in P. cabulica, P. caucasica, P. rechingeri, P. sibthorpii, P. condensata and P. strausii and is conical form in P. rhinanthoides. To determine the relationship between species, numerical analysis was carried out using 45 quantitative and qualitative morphological, anatomical and palynological characters. UPGMA and PCA dendrograms were drawn. According to the results some characters such as the thickness of  pericarp, the thickness of  spongy parenchyma, the length of  stem, the thickness of bark, the thickness of  stem and the length of midrib are the most variable, and can be used for identification and determination of relationship between species.

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Boujagh National Park, with water ecosystems including Boujagh and Kiashahr wetlands, has an area of approximately 3477.3 hectares. In order to study factors affecting the vegetation in aquatic and wet habitats, 44 releves were implemented in the region. To test the chemical properties of the available water, samples were collected from 22 releves. The results of a two-way species indicator analysis of the modified TWINSPAN suggested that four groups of plants were present in the region. The first group being floating, immersed and submerged and the third and fourth groups being mostly helophytic. The second group of plants grows in areas with sand and mud. The results of comparative DCA analysis of water factors (PH, Depth, P, N, Cl, CO₃, Hco₃, EC, Na, K) showed a significant correlation between the factors and plant groups and the most important factors influencing the distribution and separation of plants was found to be water depth. In addition, Boujagh and Kiashahr wetlands vegetation map, based on the plant groups, was also prepared.

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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.

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Hyrcanian forests in northern Iran have important tree and shrub elements of Euro-Siberian and rare forest communities, among them beech community widely covers the mountainous forests from Western to Eastern (Gorgan) Hyrcanian region. In order to identify the floristic characteristics and affecting factors on the species richness in pure beech stands in Eastern Guilan, using systematic-random method 54 plots were recorded. A total of 111 plant species belonging to 84 genera and 44 families were identified, with Orchidaceae having 9 species and genus Carex with 6 species being the largest family and genus, respectively. The highest frequency inter-species is Galium odoratum, an understory herb species forming communities in different areas of beech forests in Hyrcanian region. Since the studied region is forest and mountainous, hemicryptophytes and geophytes are the most life forms, respectively in these areas and Euro-Siberian elements (with 30.6 %) form the highest frequency from a chorological point of view. Also, the size of the microrelief and percentage of tree cover create different ecological conditions in plots such as moisture retention and change in the amount of incoming light into the plots, which are the most influential factors on species richness of these areas.

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Allium ampeloprasum (Amaryllidaceae) is recorded as a new taxon for the flora of Iran. It is morphologically most similar to Allium atroviolaceum and Allium iranicum. This species is compared with its two aforementioned relative species and some notes are given on its affinities. A full description, images and a distribution map are also provided. In addition, a lectotype is selected for A. atroviolaceum.
 

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Plantago lagocephala is recorded as a new species for the flora of Iran from Razavi Khorassan Province. It is compared with the closely related species including P. lachnantha, P. ciliata and P. psammophila. Moreover, the diagnostic morphological characters and a distribution map are provided. The conservation status of the new record is evaluated based on the IUCN red list categories and criteria.
 

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Nutlets of 20 taxa of the tribe Marrubieae were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and detailed descriptions of nutlet micromorphological features for all examined taxa are provided. The nutlets exhibited variation in size, shape, color and surface sculpturing. The nutlets shape of most species studied is ovate, but rounded, broad ovate, elliptic, lanceolate, triangular and oblong can also be found in a few species. Six basic types of the sculpturing pattern of nutlet surface can be distinguished: reticulate, foveolate, scalariform, ruminate, pusticulate and colliculate-granulate. The most common type of nutlet sculpturing among the studied species is reticulate, but the variation in size and shape of their composing cells provided useful diagnostic characters. Our investigation revealed that the type of sculpturing was more useful in taxon delimitation among Marrubium species and allies at the species rank.

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Antioxidant enzymes play an important role in plant defense against pathogenic agents. Following the identification of the pathogen, plants produce active oxygen species (ROS) as one of their first defense responses. To maintain the balance of ROS levels and prevent their harmful effects, plants produce antioxidant peroxidase (POX), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes. In the present study, the resistance of bean plants cultivars, namely Sadri, Paak, Darakhshan and Dorsa, to Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli (Xap) were studied in greenhouse conditions. The catalase, peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase enzyme activities were studied in healthy and Xap-infected bean cultivars Sadri and Derakhshan at 0, 24, 48, 72 hours and 20 days post inoculation by a completely randomized design with 5 treatments and 4 replications. The result showed that disease symptoms appeared in all tested cultivars. Derakhshan and Sadri cultivars, with 58.33 and 80.56 percentages of infected plants 20 days after inoculation, showed the least and highest infection rates, respectively. The highest catalase and peroxidase activities were recorded 24 and 48h post inoculation. These records reduced 48 and 72 hours post inoculation, respectively. The activities of these two enzymes in the susceptible cultivar were less than those in the semi-resistant one. The chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b contents of Xap-infected plants reduced significantly. The total chlorophyll content of uninfected Sadri and Darakhshan cultivars were 2.93 and 3.23 µg/g, respectively, which reduced to 1.96 and 2.14 µg/g of leaf tissue in infected plants, respectively. Based on these results, it is suggested that the Derakhshan cultivar should be planted in disease-susceptible regions as the semi-resistant cultivar.
 
 

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This study aimed to investigate the polymorphism of matrix metalloproteinase -3 (MMP-3) gene and its expression in the serum of infertile female patients received in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET). To do so, 100 women with unsuccessful IVF-ET (IVF^–) and 100 women with successful IVF-ET procedure and clinical pregnancy (IVF⁺) were included. Genetic polymorphism and serum concentration of MMP3 were investigated by ARMS-PCR and ELISA, respectively. The results showed no significant association between MMP-3 gene polymorphism and IVF-ET outcome among the two groups studied. However, a significant decrease in the concentration of MMP-3 serum in the IVF^– group was observed in comparison with the IVF⁺ group (P=0.000002). Moreover, we showed that the serum MMP-3 levels in CC, AC and AA genotypes in the IVF^– group were 33, 65.33 and 86 ng/ml, respectively. In conclusion, while there is no significant difference between MMP-3 promoter polymorphism and IVF-ET outcome between the IVF⁺ and IVF^- groups, a significant decrease in MMP-3 serum levels in IVF^- group was seen as compared with the IVF⁺ group. It could be also suggested that the CC genotype is associated with a decreased level of MMP-3 serum concentration and may be associated with IVF-ET failure.