Hesperis muglensis Hamzaoğlu & Koç, 2022

Hamzaoğlu, Ergin & Koç, Murat, 2022, Two new species of Hesperis L. (Brassicaceae) from Turkey, Phytotaxa 545 (1), pp. 30-36 : 31-32

Hesperis muglensis Hamzaoğlu & Koç , sp. nov.

( Hesperis sect. Hesperis ) ( Figure 1 ).

Diagnosis: — Hesperis muglensis is similar to H. pisidica in terms of its habit. However, it mainly differs from H. pisidica because it has stems with densely glandular, simple and a few bifurcate hairs in lower part (not stellate, simple and glandular), sepals 4–6-veined and 1.8–2.2. mm wide (not 7–12-veined and 2.4–4 mm wide), anthers 2.8‒3.1 mm long (not 3.5‒4 mm long) ( Table 1 ).

Type: — TURKEY. Muğla, Köyceğiz, above Yayla village, NE of Gökçeova lake , Sandras Mountain , 1970 m a.s.l., 13.7.2015, Koç 2071 & Hamzaoğlu (holotype GAZI!, isotypes GAZI!, ANK!, HUB!) .

Description: —Caespitose perennial herbs. Roots thickened, taproot, 3–8 mm in diameter. Stems erect, 12–30 cm tall (including inflorescence), entirely greenish, simple, terete, slightly striate, 1–1.5 mm in diameter at base; densely glandular, simple and a few bifurcate hairs in lower part, glandular, bifurcate and a few trifid mixed hairs in middle part, bifurcate, trifid and a few glandular mixed hairs upper part. Leaves crowded at lower part; basal leaves entire, oblanceolate-spathulate, 2.5–9.5 × 0.5–1 cm (including petiole), margins smooth, bifurcate, trifid and a few glandular mixed hairs, glandular hairs especially on margins, obtuse to acute-obtuse at apex, attenuate at base; petiole 1–3.5 cm long, with glandular, bifurcate and a few trifid mixed hairs; cauline leaves similar, but decreasing to flowering part; lower oblanceolate, short petiolate or sessile; middle oblong-elliptic to oblanceolate, sessile, acute at apex; upper sessile, acute-acuminate at apex. Inflorescences raceme, ebracteate. Pedicels ascending at flowering time, 5–8 mm long, glandular, bifurcate and a few trifid hairs. Sepals purplish-violet, oblong-oblanceolate, deciduous, 4–6-veined, 7.5–9 × 1.8–2.2 mm, glandular, bifurcate, trifid and long simple mixed hairs, trifid and long simple hairs especially on apex and margins, with membranous margins, inner sepals strongly saccate. Petals 19–25 mm long, rose-pink; limbs obovate or spathulate, 9–13 × 6–8 mm; claw ± oblong, 10–12 × 1.5–2.3 mm. Outer filaments not dilated at base, 3.6–4.5 mm long, inner filaments dilated at base, 6–7.3 mm long; anthers all fertile, ± linear, 2.5–3.1 mm long, usually greenish, basifixed. Stigmas with two obtuse, decurrent carpidial lobes. Ovaries glabrescent on valves and densely minutely glandular on margins. Immature siliquae straight, densely minutely glandular, bifurcate and a few trifid mixed hairs, bifurcate and a few trifid hairs especially on apex and margins.

Etymology and Turkish name: —This species has been named Hesperis muglensis because it only occurs in Muğla Province, Turkey. We propose that the Turkish name of this new species “ Muğla yıldızı” (Turkish).

Distribution and habitat: —The species is known only from the type locality, Sandras Mountain, Köyceğiz district, Muğla city, where it grows at an altitude of approximately between 1900 and 2000 m a.s.l. on serpentine stony slopes and plains.

Phenology: —Flowering time June‒July, fruiting time July‒August.

Conservation status: —Presently, Hesperis muglensis is an endemic species only known to grow in the Sandras Mountain tip locality (Köyceğiz, Muğla Province). It is estimated that the species shows an area of distribution in the altitude of approximately 1850–2000 m in a subalpine zone. Intensive pasturage is made on the mountain between the months of May–October by starting from the foot towards the summit of the mountain. The species could only be collected once up until now. The specimens collected form young individuals with flowers and that have still not produced fruit. Subsequently, the area was visited two more times in different years for collecting the mature, fruited individuals. However, due to intensive pasturage, mature, fruited individuals for the species could not be collected. The area of distribution of the species is approximately 25 km 2, but the distribution is very scattered, and it is estimated that the number of individuals is fewer than 2500. The individuals are being eaten before producing seeds due to intensive pasturage. The source of income of the people in the environs is only based on agriculture. It is estimated that as the human population increases in the future, that animal husbandry in the environs connected to this, and consequently, pasturage would increase. It is thought that as a result of the increase in pasturage that the number of mature individuals that can produce seeds would gradually decrease. When all these conditions are taken into consideration, it was decided that it would be appropriate to evaluate the species in the Endangered [EN (C1)] category according to the IUCN criteria ( IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee 2019).

Discussion: — Hesperis muglensis is similar to H. pisidica in habit and both also grow in the southwest of Turkey ( Cullen 1965). However, it can be stated that serpentine rock is an important factor in the speciation of H. muglensis , because the area of distribution that partly overlaps H. pisidica , in on calcareous bedrock. An evident difference in size between the basal and lower body leaves in H. muglensis are striking. The basal and lower body leaves have a similar size in H. muglensis , but they are crowded around the base in H. pisidica . The two species also differ in leaf shape. While the basal and lower stem leaves in H. muglensis are oblanceolate-spathulate, they are oblong or oblanceolate in H. pisidica ( Figure 1 , Table 1 ). However, the differences that are the most striking between the generative characters are the width of petal limb, the length of the anthers and the ovary. The petal limb is narrower, the anther shorter and ovary glabrescent on valves in H. muglensis . Furthermore, the ovary, especially on the margin parts has intensive secretion pubescence. Whereas, in H. pisidica the ovaries are without pubescence or have pilose pubescence ( Table 1 ).

Specimens Examined:— Hesperis pisidica . TURKEY. Antalya, above Saklıkent, Bakırlı Mountain, 1900–2000 m a.s.l., Ö.Eren 2511 & H.Duman (GAZI) ; Elmalı, road of Gedik Çukuru , ca. 1850 m a.s.l., 25.06.1975, R.Çetik 1724 (KNYA) ; ibid., Kızlar Sivrisi , 2050–2150 m a.s.l., 07.06.1999, A.Duran 4613 & M.Sağıroğlu (KNYA) ; ibid., between Tekke and Çığlıkara road, 21.06.1995, 1700 m a.s.l., H.Duman 5763 (GAZI) ; Burdur, Tefenni, Eldirek Mountain, S. of Dirmil [Altınyayla], kalkfelsen, 1850–1980 m a.s.l., 29.06.1948, Huber-Morath 8558 (holotype: G, G00371714, virtual image!) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Hesperis muglensis Hamzaoğlu & Koç sp. nov. A. Habitat. B. Habit. C. Flower.