Ranunculacaea

D. cyphoplectrum Boiss., Diagn. ser. 1(6): 7 (1845).
Slender perennial, 25-60 cm, upper part of stem crisply puberulent, glandular-pubescent or glabrous. Stem flexuose, terete, striate. Median cauline leaves long-petioled with narrowly vaginate bases, 3-10 cm across, multisect into linear laciniae. Raceme linear, lax, 2-3.5 cm broad. Bracts linear-lanceolate, much shorter than pedicels; bracteoles similar, attached near base of pedicels, rarely median. Flowers varying from deep violet-blue to dirty white, 16-24 mm; sepals widely spreading; petals ± exserted; spur about as long as sepals, tapering and subacute or ± cylindrical, obtuse or subsaccate. Follicles pubescent or glabrous. Three varieties can be provisionally recognised in Turkey:
1. Inflorescence crisped-puberulent; spur tapering, subacute; flowers 16-20 mm, dusky violet var. stenophyllum
1. Inflorescence glandular-pubescent or glabrous; spur ± cylindrical, obtuse or subsaccate; flowers 20-24 mm
2. Flowers deep violet-blue; laciniae of median leaves less than 1 mm broad var. vanense
2. Flowers whitish; laciniae of median leaves broader var. pallidiflorum
var. pallidiflorum (Freyn) Davis in Notes R.B.G. Edinb. 26: 171 (1965). Syn: D. pallidiflorum Freyn in Bull. Herb. Boiss. ser. 2, 1: 254 (1901). Steppe and rocky places, 1900-2400 m.
Type: [Turkey B9 Van] Warak Dagh (Erek Da.), 2700 m, 27 vi 1899, A. Kroneburg 166. S.E. Anatolia. B9 Van: Çuhgediği pass, between Hoşap and Başkale, 2340-2370 m, Hub.-Mor. 10948! D. quercetorum Boiss. & Hausskn. (described from N. Iraq) is probably synonymous, the plant showing considerable variation in indumentum, spur shape and bracteole position.
D. cyphoplectrum is a very polymorphic, Irano-Turanian species, widespread in parts of Iran, Transcaucasia and N. Iraq. D. talychensis Tzvel. and D. nachic-zevanicum Tzvel. (recently described from Transcaucasia) are conspecific with D. cyphoplectrum as interpreted here, which evidently comprises a series of variable geographical races which need further study. It is not clear to me whether D. cyphoplectrum sensu stricto is specifically distinct from D. tuberosum Aucher ex Boiss. which has been collected at the locus classicus of D. cyphoplectrum in Iran and provides an earlier name.