NOTES ON THE GENUS NEPETA L. (LAMIACEAE, NEPETOIDEAE)

The species belonging to Nepe ta sect. Psilonepeta Benth . recogni zed by K.H. Rechinger in Flora Iranica are revised .Nepeta bazoftica Jamzad is described as a new spe cies in this section . It is characterized by a broad ovate , petiolateleaf, deeply cordate at base, with shallowly crenate-dentate margins; a lax pedunculate cyme; calyx throat with aring of hairs inside ; corolla long exserted from the calyx. The new species is closely related to N. archibaldii andbelongs to a natural group of species partly recognized by Bentham in sect. Psilonepeta, characterized by a straightto slightly curved calyx , throat straight, with an internal ring of hairs; corolla clearly exserted from calyx , with adefle xed lower lip, Nepeta iranshahrii previously recognized in sect. Capituliferae and N. pinetorum of sect.Schizocaly x share the same floral characteristics and are considered in the same group, Furthermore, N.scrophularioides Rech . f. with an oblique calyx throat, without a hairy ring inside is excluded from sect. Psilonepetaand is considered as a synonym ofN fissa C. A. Mey.