Perennial plant, whole usually grayish-white, wiry appearance, 35–40 cm tall, root unknown, flowering stem terminal out of central of rosette and never arising at their base. Stems branched often from median to upper parts, sparingly branched at the base, with 3–5 capitula. Branches up to 23 cm long, ± unequal in length, rigid, striate, ca. 3 mm in diam. at the base. Stem and leaves densely covered with appressed floccosetomentose hairs, somewhat thickened at the base, usually not forming basal rosette at flowering. Basal leaves petiolate, linear, ca. 6 × 0.3 cm, acute at apex, entire. Lower stem leaves sessile, linear to narrowly linear, 6.5–11 × 0.3–0.45 cm, acuminate at apex, entire. Median stem leaves sessile, linear to narrowly linear, sometimes linear-lanceolate, 4–6 × 0.26–0.36 cm, acuminate at apex, entire. Upper stem leaves increasingly smaller, sessile, linear to linear-filiform, mucronate, sometimes squarrose at apex, entire. Capitula solitary on each branch, peduncles up to 11 cm long, sometimes with bracts similar to phyllaries. Involucres cylindrical, cylindrical-cupuliform, 13–18 × 10–20 mm. Phyllaries coriaceous, imbricate, green. Outer phyllaries triangular, 1–2.5× 1–2 mm, loosely covered with pubescent hairs. Median phyllaries lanceolate, 6.2–8 × 2.8–3.5 mm, glabrous, sometimes sparsely covered with pubescent hairs. Inner phyllaries lanceolate-oblong, narrowly oblong, 11–13 × 2–3 mm, glabrous, margins membranous. Appendages totally concealing basal to median parts of phyllaries, trian - gular, moderately imbricate, strongly decurrent, blackish, scarious margin (without cilia) 0.2–0.8 mm wide; cilia numerous, 4–18 on each side, 0.5–4 mm long, upper part white straw, base brownish, narrowly triangular, never with a spine, slightly scabrous. Flowers white, in dry state yellow; central florets hermaphroditic, ca. 16 mm long, corolla tube ca. 6.5 mm long, anther tube pink, sometimes brownish, stigma bifid, covered with pubescent hairs, 20–25 central florets in each capitulum; peripheral florets without staminodes, strongly radiant, ca. 29 mm long, corolla tube ca. 16 mm long, 5-lobed, lobes linear-lanceolate, ca. 10 mm long, 8–12 peripheral florets in each capitulum. Achenes oblong-elliptical or oblong, sometimes lanceolateoblong, ± 5.5 mm long, 2–2.5 mm wide, solar bronze to brownish, covered with appressed hairs, hilum lateral, hairy, yellow, ca. 1.8 mm long, apically rounded. Pappus persistent, barbellate, brown, 2–2.3 mm long, innermost series not longer than others.

Etymology. — The specific epithet refers to Tabriz city, where the new species is found.

Phenology. — Flowering in May to June; fruit ripening from June to July.

Taxonomic and distribution remarks. — Cyanus tabrizianus is a rare endemic to NW Iran and known only from the meadows in mid-montane zone around Galujeh in East Azerbaijan Province, NW Iran (Fig. 2). This region has special position in Azerbaijan and its most species are endemic (Ranjbar & al., 2004). Cyanus tabrizianus can be expected grow on rocky, at 2000–2500 m elevation. The species is similar to C. cheiranthifolius in the color of phyllaries and appendages and also size of achenes. However, as shown in Table 1, C. tabrizianus differs from other related species, f.i. from C. cheiranthifolius by having linear leaves. In addition, the new species is like to C. triumfetti (All.) Á. Löve & D. Löve especially because of similarities in the shape and color of phyllaries, shape of achene and pappus, but differs from it by having white flowers. The new species is also related to C. willdenowii (Czerep.) Soják, endemic to Caucasus (Borisova, 1963), in some characters like the shape, color and width of appendages and achene. However, it differs well by having small capitule and white flowers. Cyanus tabrizianus is also related to C. nigrifimbrius (K. Koch) Soják, native to Asia minor (Caucasus and NE Turkey) especially because of the leaves indumentum, shape and color of phyllaries and appendages and size of achene. However, it differs well by having linear leaves and white flowers.