Iran, once known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the northeast, Afghanistan to the east, Pakistan to the southeast, and the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf to the south.
Iran is a significant center for geophyte (bulbous plant) diversity, with over 200 species from various families naturally occurring across its diverse phytogeographic regions, including mountain, steppe, and desert zones. Key families include Poaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Asparagaceae, Iridaceae and Liliaceae, with genera such as Allium, Gagea, and Iris being particularly diverse.
Photographs by Sajad Alipour - Facebook
Fritillaria sanandajensis Advay was published August 22, 2025, from a collection in April 2013 in Kurdistan Province, Iran, at 2100 meters. In early 2026 it doesn't yet appear in World Flora Online. It was named after Sanandaj, the center of Kurdistan Province, Iran. The photo was taken April 2025 at 2000 meters.
Fritillaria straussii Bornm. is native to Kurdistan, Iran and Southeastern Turkey. Photos were taken April 2025 at an elevation of 2100 m. This species is usually green but is sometimes seen in an unusual burgundy color. It typically forms larger populations in forested areas, especially under the canopy of oak forests.
