Nutlet micromorphology of 14 taxa of Scutellaria of subgenera Scutellaria (sects. Scutellaria and Anaspis) and Apeltanthus (sect. Lupulinaria) in Iran was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Nutlet surface sculpturing varies prominently among species within two subgenera and this is mostly congruent with the latest subgenric classification of the genus. However some differences were observed among species in some sections. Five nutlet types were identified: Type I, papillate with sessile glands among the papillae (subgenus Scutellaria sect. Scutellaria: Sc. galericulata). Type II. papillate, papillae circular with concave apex. (subgenus Scutellaria section Scutellaria: Sc. tournefortii). Type III. Nutlet surface papillate, papillae with obtuse to acute apex, more or less finger like (subgenus Scutellaria, section Anaspis: Scutellaria ariana). Type IV, nutlet surface with flattened or apical depressed papillae, with adpressed and patent hairs partially covering the surface, concentrated near the papillae apices. (subgenus Scutellaria: Sc. condensata subsp. condensata and subsp pycnotricha and Sc. velenovskyi subsp. subsimilis). Type V, surface densely hairy with stellate or long simple hairs (sect. Lupulinaria: Sc. araxensis, Sc. farsistanica, Sc. litwinowii, Sc. luteo-coerulea, Sc. multicaulis, Sc. pinnatifida, Sc. platystegia, Sc. theobromina and Sc. tomentosa.).

We present a 13-year-old male child allergic to three different plants (Salvia officinalis, Mentha piperita and Origanum onites L. ) of LAMIACEAE family. The patient developed angioedema 20-30 minutes after eating chicken meat with cheddar cheese. There was no history of allergy. Oral food challenge (OFC) with both cheddar cheese and chicken meat was negative. Skin tests for inhalant allergens were negative. 3 weeks later, the patient was admitted with angioedema after drinking sage tea. OFC with sage was applied and angioedema was observed. It was recognized that the first trigger, chicken meat with cheddar cheese, included oregano (Origanum onites L. ). OFC for oregano was positive. Prick to prick test for LAMIACEAE herbs (oregano, sage, mint) was performed. A positive reaction was observed only to mint. OFC was repeated with fresh mint and angioedema developed after 16 hours. Diagnose of LAMIACEAE allergy is complicated and cross-sensitivity is common. Skin prick test (prick to prick) revealed a positive response only to mint but not to oregano and sage. Commercial radioallergosorbent (RAST) tests are available only for a few members of the family. Finally, thediagnose is based mainly on OFC. Spices from LAMIACEAE group should be considered as potential triggers of allergic reactions.

The present communication pertains to twenty two species ofNepeta recorded from the Kashmir Himalaya. Out of these twelve species were recorded from Kashmir region and eleven from Ladakh region. One species i.e.N. salviaefoliais common to both the regions. All the species are perennial but for N. annua, which is an annual. A taxonomic account of all the species, following recent nomenclature has been presented herewith.

Marrubium duabense Murata is recorded here for the first time from Iran. This species was known exclusively from Afghanistan; its recording from Iran shows that its distribution is extended to the west to Iran as well. With this record the number of Marrubium species in Iran counts to 11.

Identification and introduction of flora in each region is important and useful for other scientific projects. Up to the percent there has not been no complete studies concerning the Qazvin flora: LAMIACEAE family. This project has carried out during 1995 -2006. To contact the research, plants were collected during the growth seasons in different years.Results showed that LAMIACEAE in Qazvin include 30 genera and 84 species. Salvia, Stachys and Nepeta with 17, 10 and 8 species were the most genera in respect of number of species respectively.Life forms of the plant species include: Hemichrophytes 63.5%, thorophytes 22.4%, chamaephytes 9.4% and geophytes 4.7%. From the view point of regional elements plants of this region include: 45.88% Irano-Touranian, 40% Irano-Touranian and Europe-Siberian, 9.41% Irano-Touranian and Europe-Siberian and Mediterranean, 3.52% Irano-Touranian and Mediterranean, and 1.17% cosm determined. More than 70% of species were aromatic plants. Thymus, Ziziphora, Melissa and Dracocephalum were the most important of medicinal plants. Moluccella laevis was the rarely specie of Qazvin province that only distribution in limited area.

The taxonomy and morphology of 42 Salvia spinosa L. accessions (LAMIACEAE) were studied in Iran. This species had a high morphological diversity which was related to the hair frequency and indumentum of base and surface of stem, form of leaf, leaf margin and leaf apex, leaf indumentum, form of bracts margin, dimension and color of bracteole, calyx length, style length, form and color of nutlet. Using the cluster analysis based on Euclidian Distance Coefficient and SPSS V.11.5 software the infra-specific relationships were determined. The results of cluster analysis showed diversity among the accessions of this species. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the morphological variability in this species might be due to the polymorphism, hybridization and new varieties. Consequently, the morphological characters of Iranian accessions of Salvia spinosa have been described and designed in details.

The genus Lallemantia Fisch et Mey belongs to LAMIACEAE family is represented by the following 5 species: L. peltata, L. canescens, L. iberica, L. royleana and L. baldshuanica. In this study, in order to identify and distinct the species from each others, the morphological characters of Lallemantia species were investigated. Plant description is based on living and herbarium specimens.30 Qualitative and quantitative features were studied, and general explanations of qualitative attributes are based on Stern Terminology, and all measurements were made directly on herbarium specimens. Morphological characters such as: habit, stem length, width, length and shape of stem and floral leaves and its petioles, calyx and its teeth, bracts and inflorescent, the forms of leaf margine, apic and base, corolla colors and calyx corolla ratio were investigated. The present study showed that, some morphological characters were varying between species. Significant variations, mainly useful at the infrageneric level were found in: stem length, leaves shape and margins, the shape and size of upper tooth of calyx, bracts and inflorescent shape and corolla calyx ratio. These features had taxonomic value in the classification and were useful in identification of species, specially 2 longitudinal folds whitin the upper lip of corolla were useful in distinguishing of Lallemantia species from other genera in LAMIACEAE family.

Satureja kermanshahensis is described as a new species from Iran. It is characterized by a dense columnar spicate inflorescence, 3-10 cm long, verticillasters 2-flowered and densely glandular pubescent leaves. It grows in crevices of rocks in Kermanshah province in western Iran. It is compared with S. coerulea from Bulgaria, Romania and NW Turkey, S. bachtiarica and S. edmondi growing in western Iran.