Onosma anatolica (Sect. Onosma subsect. Asterotricha) Binzet, 2016

Binzet, Riza, 2016, Onosma anatolica, a new species of Boraginaceae from Turkey, PhytoKeys 69, pp. 39-49 : 41-44

Onosma anatolica (Sect. Onosma subsect. Asterotricha) Binzet sp. nov. Figures 1 , 2

Type.

Turkey, C5 Niğde: Çamardı, 2 km South of Demirkazik village , subalpine community with dwarf shrub and thorn-cushion, 1760 m, limestone, 22 June 2015, 37°50'47"N, 35°05'32"E, Binzet 201501 (holotype: ANK; isotype: GAZI) .

Diagnosis.

Onosma anatolica is related to Onosma subulifolia especially by its habit, calyx and corolla length. However, the new species differs mainly in its sterile shoots; a green-grey stem with adpressed setose trichomes, the setae arising from short stellate hairy and shortly hairy (not bluish-black, otherwise glabrous as in Onosma subulifolia ); sterile rosette leaves and basal leaves -50 × 1-1,5(-1.8) mm, revolute-subulate; cauline leaves -20 × 1-1.5(-1.8) mm, (as opposed to 15-32 × 1.5(-1.8) mm in Onosma subulifolia ); an inflorescence of 1-2 cymes, sometimes elongated after flowering (not short subcapitate); flower bracts 8-15 × 1-2 mm, the apex acute (as opposed to 7-8 mm, apex lingulate in Onosma subulifolia ); pedicel 1-2 mm (not 1-1.5 mm); calyx 6-8 mm in flower, 8-12 mm in fruit, suboblate in shape, patent strigose on ± tubercles and shortly hairy on the outside and rarely hairy on the inside (as opposed to 10-11 mm, subobtuse, and hispid in Onosma subulifolia ); corolla yellow, clavate, puberulous, lobes 1 mm long, 1.7 mm wide at base, widely triangular (as opposed to white, clavate-campanulate, glabrous, lobes short, acute in Onosma subulifolia ); and nutlets 3-3.5 × 2-2.3 mm, short beaked, grey.

Description.

Perennial rhizomatous herb, rhizome divided into several, ca. 8 mm diameter, subterranean, creeping branches. Aerial stems up to 12 cm tall(including inflorescence), ca. 1(-1.5) mm in diameter, green to grey, covered by adpressed setose, setae arising from short stellate trichomes, shortly hairy, sterile rosette to 5 cm. Leaves crowded at base, leaves of the sterile rosette and basal leaves -50 × 1-1.5 (-1.8) mm, acute, revolute-subulate, adpressed setose, setae arising from stellate trichomes (asterotrichous state). Cauline leaves -20 × 1-1.5(-1.8) mm, acute, indistinct revolute-subulate, upper surface covered by densely adpressed setae arising from stellate hairy and sparsely adpressed setose, setae arising from stellate hairy on lower surfaces. Upper cauline leaves resembling lower ones, but smaller in size. Inflorescence of 1-2 cymes, forming a short subcapitate cluster, sometimes elongating after flowering. Flower bracts 8-15 × 1-2 mm, linear-subulate, abruptly narrowed and tapering towards an acute apex, ± patent setose with stellate trichomes and tubercles. Pedicels 1-2 mm. Calyx 6-8 mm in flower, 8-12 mm in fruit, free to base, lobes narrowly linear, suboblate densely covered with patent strigose on ± tubercles and shortly hairy on the outside and rarely hairy on the inside. Corolla yellow, 15-18 mm, clavate, puberulous, reflexed lobes 5, 1 mm long, 1.7 mm wide at base, widely triangular, acute, annulus glabrous. Anthers included, linear, ca. 6 mm, sagittate, connate at base, included or sterile tips exerted. Filaments ca. 5 mm. Style 3-5 mm protruding outside the corolla limb, stigma small, distinctly bilobed. Nutlets 3-3.5 × 2-2.3 mm, shortly beaked, grey. Pollen grains heteropolar, shape prolate P/E(Polar axis/Equatorial axis) ratio 1.35.

Etymology.

The species epithet anatolica refers to Anatolia, the Asian part of Turkey.

Distribution and ecology.

Onosma anatolica is distributed in southern Anatolia ( Niğde) and grows in subalpine dwarf shrub and thorn-cushion communities. The geological substrat is limestone and the new species occurs only between 1700 and 1800 m. The species belongs to the Irano-Turanian floristic region. Species growing in close proximity to the vew species are: Astragalus angustifolius Lam. subsp. angustifolius , Euphorbia kotcchyana Fenzl. Bromus cappadocicus Boiss. et Bal. Marrubium heterodon (Benth.) Boiss. & Balansa, Poa bulbosa L., Bromus tectorum L., Centaurea pseudoreflexa Hayek, Centaurea chrysantha Wagenitz, Astragalus sp. Sideritis libanotica Labill. subsp. Linearis (Bentham). Bornm., Anthemis sp., Galium incanum SM., Convolvulus compactus Boiss., and Alyssum aureum (Fenzl.) Boiss. Phytosociologically the community where the new species occurs can be grouped into Astragalo-Brometea Quézel 1973 class and Astragalo-Brometalia Quézel 1973 order ( Quézel 1973, Eren et al. 2004, Parolly 2004).

Conservation status.

Onosma anatolica is hitherto known only from the type locality, and its estimated area of occupancy is less than 50 km2. Moreover, the area is subjected to heavy grazing pressure. Because of its localized distribution, small population size and grazing pressure, it should be considered as 'Critically Endangered (CR)" according to the IUCN criteria A3 and B2 ( IUCN 2012).

Additional specimens (paratype).

Type locality, 10 June 2011, Binzet 201122 (Mersin University).

Additional specimens examined.

Onosma subulifolia : Turkey A5 Sinop: after Kargı, 250 m, Tobey 2625, 11 May 1969 (holotype, E 00022534, photo) .

Phenology.

Flowering from May to June, setting fruit until late July.

Palynology.

Pollen grains are heteropolar, trisyncolporate and subprolate. Exine surface of the grains is insular. The insulae have free scabrae and the scabrae are widely spaced. The average means of the number of scabrae in each insulae range from 6 to 15. The main palynological characters and SEM micrographs of Onosma anatolica are presented in Table 1 and Figure 5 .

Nutlet morphology.

Nutlet size shows some variations, Nutlets 3-3.5 × 2-2.3 mm, shortly beaked, and grey. Nutlet surface ornamentation is rugose and characterized by the epidermal cells of the nutlet surface having small or fine wrinkles (Fig. 6 ).

Figures

Figure 1. In situ photographs of Onosma anatolica (a habit b flowers).

Figure 2. The holotype of Onosma anatolica from the herbarium ANK: Binzet 201501, 22 June 2015. (Photo Riza Binzet).

Figure 5. SEM microphotograph of pollen of Onosma anatolica.

Figure 6. SEM microphotograph of nutlet of Onosma anatolica.