Taxonomy of the Genus Peganum L. (Peganaceae Van Tieghem) in Mongolia

Abstract

This paper deals with the species of the Peganum found in Mongolia based on morphological structure of seeds. A depressed-hollow surface of seeds was found for Peganum harmala and smooth surface for P. nigellastrum Bge, while convex surface was found for P. harmala var. multisecta . Seeds of P. harmala var. multisecta disperse only by water fl ow, whereas seeds of P. harmala disperse only by the effects of human activities and those of P. nigellastrum disperse by both human activities and wind. P. harmala and P. nigellastrum are distributed in Mongolia and Tibet, but P. harmala var. multisecta are also distributed in Mongolia. We suggest that P. multisectum (Maxim.) Bobr is distributed in Mongolia, but no P. harmala var. multisecta Maxim, based on morphological, ecological and areal differences.

Keywords

• Peganum harmala var. multisecta
• Peganum harmala
• Peganum nigellastrum
• Peganaceae