Desert truffles are hypogeous edible fungi from the Ascomycetes group that grow in arid and semi-arid areas of the Mediterranean region, including Iran. In addition to the economic role, they also play an important role in preserving and maintaining the ecosystem of rangelands from an ecological point of view by preventing erosion and desertification. In this study, the mycorrhizal association between the Terfezia claveryi Chatin (Cistaceae) with the perennial plant species Cistus ladanifer, C. laurifolius, Helianthemum lippii, and H. almeriense was investigated. The results of this study showed the mycorrhizal association as ect-endo mycorrhization with varying degrees of sheath development among the four investigated plant species. Mycorrhization rate and the relative mycorrhizal dependency (RMD) for T. claveryi/H. lippii combination was 87% and 48. 18%, followed H. almeriense with mycorrhization rate and relative mycorrhizal dependency 80% and 17. 92%, respectively. Growth parameters of the inoculated plants including plant height and weight, root height and weight, and shoot height and weight were statistically significant compared to control plants. The mycorrhizal relationship of T. claveryi with inoculated plant species was confirmed using Nested-polymerase chain reaction and specific primer pairs designed for this species from the sequence of the internal transcribed space regions.

This study represents chromosomal data for seven species of five genera of Apiaceae, Cistaceae, Lamiaceae families. The chromosome numbers for three taxa including, Oliveria decumbens 2n=18, Acinus graveolens 2n=18, and Gonscharovia popovii 2n=30 are reported here for the first time and the chromosome number of Helianthemum aegyptiacum 2n=40, Helianthemum ledifolium 2n=40, Helianthemum salicifolium 2n=40 and Lagoecia cuminoides 2n=16 are reported for the first time in the flora of Iran. Karyotypic analyses of all species are presented.

Fourteen plant species belonging to Asclepiadaceae, Asteraceae, Caesalpiniaceae, Cistaceae, Mimosaceae, Poaceae, and Sapindaceae families were collected from Bushehr province. Counts of chromosomes of Grantia aucheri (Boiss.) Anderb. (2n=18), Helianthemum assadii F. Ghahrem. & Gholamian (2n=20), H. sinuspersicum Gholamian & F. Ghahrem. (2n=20), H. salicifolium var. securitium Gholamian (2n=20), H. ledifolium var. glaberrimum Gholamian (2n=20), Sporobolus arabicus Boiss. (2n=36) and Cassia italica (Mill.) Spreng. (2n=16) are reported for the first time. The chromosome counts of Calotropis procera (Aiton) R. Br. (2n=22), Acacia albida Delile (2n=26), Ceratonia siliqua L. (2n=24), Dodonaea viscosa Jacq. (2n=28), Helianthemum stipulatum (Forsk.) C. Chr. (2n=20), H. kahiricum Del. (2n=20) are reported for the first time from Iran. Helianthemum aegyptiacum (L.) Miller (2n=20) is reported for the second time for the flora of Iran.