Cousinia meyqanensis (Asteraceae), a New Species from Northeastern Iran

Cousinia meyqanensis Rastegar, Attar & Mirtadz. (Asteraceae, Cardueae) is described and illustrated based on a specimen collected from Mt. Shahvar, Semnan Province, NE Iran. It is placed in the sect. Platyacanthae as it lacks appendiculate bracts and decurrent leaves. Cousinia meyqanensis is compared with the morphologically similar species C. platyacantha and C. freynii, from which it differs by e.g. being much smaller, having fewer flowers per capitulum, a white-arachnoid stem indumentum, and smaller capitula.