Bolanthus turcicus Koc & Hamzaoglu, 2015

Koc, Murat & Hamzaoglu, Ergin, 2015, Bolanthus turcicus (Caryophyllaceae), a new species from Turkey, PhytoKeys 52, pp. 81-88 : 82-85

Bolanthus turcicus Koc & Hamzaoglu sp. nov. Figs 1 , 2

Diagnosis.

Bolanthus turcicus is related to Bolanthus spergulifolius (Jaub. & Spach) Hub.-Mor. It differs from the related taxa mainly by having it has leaves 3-veined (not 1-vained), linear (not subulate); calyx 3.5-4.5 mm long (not 4.5-5.5 mm long); petals 3.3-4.5 mm long and as long as calyx (not 5.5-6.5 mm long and 1.5 times longer than calyx).

Type.

TURKEY, Aksaray province, Hasan Mountain above Karkın town, Hamzaoğlu 7110 and Koç (holo GAZI, iso GAZI, ANK, Dept of Bozok Univ., Herbarium of Biology), 1950 m, volcanic stony slopes and alpine steppe, 18 June 2014.

Description.

Perennial, completely glandular and eglandular hairs. Stems prostrate, 8-14 cm tall, 0.5-1 mm diameter. Leaves linear, margins ciliate and subscarious near base, apex acute; sterile shoot leaves similar but shorter than or equal to cauline leaves; cauline leaves linear, 5-8 × 0.5-0.7 mm, 3-veined, sheaths equal or slightly longer than wide; upper similar but smaller. Inflorescence cymose, subcapitate, 5-10-flowered; bracts similar cauline leaves, 3-5 × 0.4-0.6 mm; ± equalling calyx; pedicels 1-2 mm or absent. Calyx tubular, 3.5-4.5 × 1-1.4 mm; tube 5-ribbed, herbaceous, commissures whitish, scarious; teeth narrowly triangular, 1-1.3 mm, apex acuminate. Petals linear-spathulate, 3.3-4.5 × 0.8-1.2 mm, emarginated, as long as calyx; limb whitish with transverse deep purple stripe near middle or base. Stamens 10. Styles 2. Capsule sessile, oblong-ovoid, including calyx, dehiscing by 4 teeth. Seeds black, comma-shaped, 0.8-1.1 × 0.5-0.7 mm, tuberculate. flowering in June and July, volcanic stony slopes and alpine steppe.

Seed micro-morphology.

Seeds of Bolanthus turcicus are comma-shaped, 0.8-1.1 × 0.5-0.7 mm, granular; ventral surface with regular elongated rectangular cells, tuberculate, obscure teeth on each margin, teeth S-undulate; dorsal surface with regular rectangular cells, tuberculate, obscure teeth on each margin, teeth S-undulate. The seeds of Bolanthus turcicus aren’t different than the seeds of Bolanthus minuartioides (Jaub. & Spach) Hub.-Mor., Bolanthus huber-morathii , Bolanthus spergulifolius , Bolanthus frankenioides (Boiss) Bark., Bolanthus mevlanae in terms of dorsal and ventral surfaces (Figure 2 ).

Chorology and ecology.

Bolanthus turcicus grows on volcanic stony slopes and alpine steppe and Irano-Turanian phytogeographic regions ( Davis 1965). Many plants in the alpine steppe have distinctive adaptations to the harsh environment. On mountain slopes in the alpine steppe, grasses decrease and forbs increase ( Huang 1987). The species grows on volcanic stony slopes and alpine steppe together with Scleranthus annus L. subsp. polycarpos (L.) Thell., Acantholimon acerosum (Willd.) Boiss., Bromus tomentellus Boiss., Festuca valesiaca Schleich., Alyssum pateri Nyar. subsp. pateri , Astragalus angustifolius Lam., Astragalus lineatus Lam., Phlomis armeniaca Willd., Phleum alpinum L., Stipa pulcherrima K.Koch, Minuartia juniperina (L.) Maire & Petitm., Sedum pallidum M.Bieb.

Conservation status.

Bolanthus turcicus is an endemic species known only from the type gathered in the Hasan Mountain (Aksaray province). Informal grazing and land-use changes could have a detrimental impact in the future. For this reason this species should be classified as "Critically Endangered" (CR-B1a) according to the World Conservation Union categories ( IUCN 2014).

Figures

Figure 1. A: Bolanthus turcicus (EH 7110). 1 Habit 2 Inflorescence 3 Flower 4 Petal 5 Capsule 6 Leaf 7 Leaf axillary fascicles.

Figure 2. SEM photographs of the seed coat. Bolanthus turcicus - A 1 - 3 ventral surface B 1 - 3 dorsal surface (Scale bars 100 μm).