Aegokeras gazipashensis A.Duran & Lyskov, 2023

Duran, Ahmet, Samigullin, Tahir & Lyskov, Dmitry, 2023, Aegokeras gazipashensis (Apiaceae), a new species from South Anatolia, Turkey, Phytotaxa 613 (3), pp. 234-248 : 237-241

Aegokeras gazipashensis A.Duran & Lyskov sp. nova ( Figs. 3–8 ).

Type:— TURKEY. C4 Antalya: Gazipaşa, Çayıryaka Yaylası , 36°30′02′′N, 32°32′18′′E, 1730 m, mountain steppe, 12 June 2021, A.Duran 10795 (holotype: HUB, isotypes: ANK, GAZI, MW barcodes MW0595828 – MW0595831 ) .

Diagnosis: Aegokeras gazipashensis is similar to A. caespitosa . It mainly differs from A. caespitosa in non-caespitose habit (not caespitose habit), habitat semi-arid mountain steppe (not crevices of limestone cliffs), base of stem without remains of old leaf bases (not with remains of old leaf bases), leaves distinctly coriaceous and glaucous (not herbaceous and ±greenish), leaflets mostly overlapped, margin acute-laciniate to dentate, cartilaginous, broadly ovate to orbicular (not without overlapping, margin dentate to serrate, not cartilaginous, ovate or oblong), petiole with well-developed sheath, clearly flattened (not with a scarcely dilated sheath).

Description: Polycarpic, perennial, hemicryptophytic herbaceous plants, (7–) 10–25 cm tall. Thickened rootstock cylindrical-oblong, vertical, 5–15 mm ⌀, without petiolar remains or with rarely remains a few papery old-leaf petioles at base of stem. Stem solitary or 2, unbranched or 2–4-branched, glabrous, terete, smooth, greenish, erect, slender, 1–2 mm ⌀ at base, slightly ribbed. Leaves completely basal, ±forming a rosette, oblong, 2.5–7 × 1–1.8 cm (incl. petiole), unipinnate or pinnatisect, distinctly glaucous and coriaceous, petiole and rachis mostly sparsely minutely puberulous; petiole with a well-developed sheath, 10–40 × 2–7 mm; petiole and rachis clearly flattened, whitish membranaceous margin, entire; lamina 1.7–4 cm long; leaflets 2–5-paired, 6–13 × 6–12 mm, mostly overlapped, often lower pairs distant, sessile, broadly ovate to orbicular, simple or 2–5-lobed to pinnatisect, sometimes sparsely puberulous; margin deeply acute-laciniate to dentate, cartilaginous. Stem leafless, only at base of lateral branches sheath-like form, and oblong, whitish-green ±membranaceous, 10–17 mm long (incl. lobes), 1–3(–5) linear-subulate lobes, lobes c. 3 mm long. Inflorescence with terminal umbel only or little-branched, compound umbel. Flowers hermaphroditic; umbels 3–11-rayed; rays 11–20 mm long, equal to subequal, glabrous, slightly striate. Bracts 1–10 or rarely absent, 3–5 × 0.3–0.6 mm, lanceolate to linear, unequal, margins membranous, persistent. Umbellules 6–13-flowered, when ripe 2–8; pedicels 1.5–2.5 mm long, glabrous. Bracteoles 2–7, 1–3 × 0.2–0.4 mm, narrowly linear-lanceolate to filiform. Sepals minute, inconspicuous, ± triangular. Petals white, 1 × 0.6–1 mm, obovate to oblong, strongly incurved at the apex, inflexed lobe slightly bifid, glabrous. Filaments ca. 2 mm long. Anthers oblong, ca. 0.5 mm long, yellowish. Stylopodium clearly conical, rim slightly undulate; styles c. 1.3 mm long, ascending at first, eventually horizontal to reflexed at the apex, gracefully conical; stigma capitate. Fruit narrowly oblong to ovate, glabrous, 4–5.5 × 1.5–2 mm, greenish-yellow when ripe; mericarps ± terete, smooth ridges inconspicuous, commissure narrow; dorsal vittae 1 per vallecula, commissural vittae 2–4, numerous inconspicuous vittae also present. Mesocarp consists of parenchymatous cells and several layers of sclerenchymatous cells in middle part.

Paratypes:— TURKEY. C4 Antalya: Gazipaşa, Çayıryaka Yaylası , 36°30′02′′N, 32°32′18′′E, 1730 m, mountain steppe, 27 May 2021, A.Duran 10745 (HUB) . Antalya: Gazipaşa, Çayıryaka Yayla , 1700 m, 14 July 1983, H.S¸mb¸l 2336 (HUB) .

Etymology: —The specific epithet refers to the type locality of the new species—the Gazipaşa district. The Turkish name of the new species was suggested as “gazipaşa aykeresi” ( Menemen et al. 2016).

Phenology: —Flowering in May-June, and fruiting in June-July.

Distribution:— Aegokeras gazipashensis is a narrow endemic to Southern Anatolia (Antalya province), Turkey. This species is located in the East Mediterranean phytogeographical regions ( Fig. 2 ).

Ecology:— Taşeli Plateau is located in the provinces of Antalya, Konya and İçel. It has a different geomorphological structure with its limestone rocky character and karst topographic features. Çayıryaka is one of the plateaus in Taşeli Plateau where Aegokeras gazipashensis species grows. The altitude of the plateau varies between 1500–2500 meters. Water resources are insufficient in the entire plateau ( Siler & Şengün 2014). Aegokeras gazipashensis species grows in semi-arid mountain steppes. Some of the plants that grow in the steppes in the Çayıryaka plateau are as follows; Polygala supina, Arabis androsacea, Aethionema spicatum, Gypsophila curvifolia, Helichrysum plicatum, Scorzonera longiana, S. violacea, Serratula lasiocephala, Ononis adenotricho, Thymus spyleus, Dorycnium pentaphyllum, Astragalus amoenus, Astragalus anthylloides, Daphne oleoides, Anthemis pestalozzae, Crepis willdenowii ( Fig. 8 ).

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list category:— Aegokeras gazipashensis is known only from the type locality, an area smaller than 5 km 2 (Criteria B1, B2a, b). The number of flowering individuals in population is less than 160 (Criteria C2a and D). The area has been subjected to systematic anthropogenic activities such as transhumance, construction of new roadways and settlements, expansion of agricultural areas, and overgrazing pressure ( Fig. 8 ). The population of the new species is very limited, and adverse effects in area of occupancy are leading to the reduction in the number of plants. Because of all these factors the species should be considered Critically Endangered (CR) according to the IUCN Red List Criteria ( IUCN 2022).

Figures

FIGURE 2 Distribution map of Aegokeras gazipashensis (●) and A. caespitosa (▲).

FIGURE 3. The roots and leaves of Aegokeras gazipashensis: a—root and basal leaves, b—remains a few papery old-leaf petioles at base of stem, c—upper surface of the leaf, d—lower surface of the leaf, e—leaflets overlapping, f and g—sheath-like cauline leaves.

FIGURE 4. Aegokeras gazipashensis: a—rosette form leaves, b—unbranched stem, c—branched stems.

FIGURE 5. Representative specimen of Aegokeras gazipashensis (isotype MW0595830). Courtesy of the National Depository Bank of Live Systems, Moscow State University.

FIGURE 6. Aegokeras gazipashensis: a—bracts, bracteoles, and flowers, b—bracts, bracteoles, and young fruits, c—mature fruits, d—sepals, stylopodium, and styles.

FIGURE 7. Aegokeras gazipashensis: a, b—stereo microscope photograph of fruit, с—cross-section of mericarp.

FIGURE 8. a—Aegokeras gazipashensis growsin semi-aridmountain steppes,b—naturalgrowing environment,c—effectsof overgrazing pressure.