Ferula divaricata Pimenov & Kljuykov, 2013

Pimenov, Michael G. & Kljuykov, Eugene V., 2013, Ferula divaricata (Umbelliferae), a new species from Central Anatolia, Turkey, Phytotaxa 99 (1), pp. 35-39 : 36-37

Ferula divaricata Pimenov & Kljuykov , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1, 2 , 3 )

A Ferulae rigidulae DC. caulibus crassioribus (5–6 mm versus 3–5 mm in diam.), humilioribus (40–60 cm versus 70– 100 cm altis), nodis vix inflatis, internodiis brevibus (inferioribus ad 5 cm longis, non 10–15 cm longis), foliis subglabris (non segmentis utrinque dense aculeolatis), vaginis foliorum caulinorum mediis inflatis, ovatis, declinatis, non caulem arcte amplectentibus, tubulosis, laminis foliorum 3–4-pinnatisectis, non 4–5-pinnatisectis, segmentis terminalibus foliorum radicalium et caulinorum inferiorum similibus, lanceolatis vel ovatolanceolatis, 3– 3.6 mm longis, 1–1.5 mm latis, versus segmentis foliorum radicalium lanceolatis, 1.6 mm longis, 0.5 mm latis, foliorum caulinorum inferiorum linearibus vel linearifiliformibus, 4–6 mm longis, 0.4–0.5 mm latis bene differt.

Type:— TURKEY. B3 Eskişehir: Sivrihisar Dağlari, Kaymaz, road turn to Beylikova , elevation 920–930 m, 39°31’N, 31°04’E, 08 August 2008 , M. G. Pimenov & E. V. Kljuykov 36 (holotype MW!).

= F. rigidula auct. non DC.: Peşmen (1972: 442), pro pl. Centrali-Anatolicae.

Stout, erect, divaricately branching, subglabrous perennials, 40–60 cm tall; taproots 2–3 cm in diam., with tuber-bearing branches, rootstocks unbranched, covered with fibrous remains of dead leaves; stems solitary, at the base 5–6 mm in diam., terete, finely striate, at nodes slightly inflated; internodes 6–9; lower branches alternate, upper ones alternate or verticillate; radical leaves with short petioles, bases abruptly broadened into ovate or ovate-lanceolate sheaths; leaf blades rhombic to broadly ovate in outline, 15–25 cm long, 15–20 cm wide, 3–4-pinnatisect; basal primary segments at petiolules 1.5–3.5 cm long; terminal segments divaricate, 3– 3.6 mm long, 1–1.5 mm wide, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, acute, margins convolute at upper side, margins or only lower side covered with very rare short prickles; most lower stem leaves similar to radical ones, but with narrow tubular sheaths, up to 4 cm long; middle stem leaves with inflated, deflected sheaths; uppermost leaves reduced. Umbels in corymbose synflorescence, without involucre, terminal umbels with short peduncles, 5–7 cm in diam., rays 5–10, terete, 2.5–4 cm long, subequal, a little divaricate; lateral umbels 1–2, small, of 5 short rays, with staminate flowers; umbellets without bracteoles, of 8–15 hermaphroditic and staminate flowers; pedicels subequal, thin, terete, up to 1 cm long; calyx teeth inconspicuous; petals light yellow, elliptic, up to 1.5 mm long, subentire without claw, with narrow tip curved inwards; stylopods saucershaped with margins bent inwards; styles 1.5–2 mm long, reflexed; fruits compressed dorsally; carpophore bifid up to the base, mericarps elliptic to obovate, 8–12 mm long, 5–6.7 mm wide; dorsal ribs filiform, marginal ribs narrow winged, thin, almost equal to half of endosperm; exocarp of small cells, interrupted near the ends of marginal ribs; commissure broad, outer mesocarp layer of parenchymatous cells, inner layer (hypendocarp) of prosenchymatous cells with porous walls; vascular bundles thin, in marginal ribs several (4– 5); vallecular secretory ducts solitary, large, commissural 4, narrow; endocarp and spermoderma of small cells; endosperm at the commissural side almost flat.

Phenology: — Blooms in June, fruits in July–August.

Distribution and habitat:— A species endemic to Central Anatolia (Ankara, Kirikkale, Çankiri, Sivas, Kütahya, Eskişehir, Isparta, Konya, Niǧde, and Kayseri), growing on dry stony slopes in the middle mountain belt at 900–1200 m a.s.l.

Etymology:—The specific epithet refers to divaricate branches of synflorescence and divaricate terminal segments of the leaves.

Additional specimen examined (paratype): — TURKEY. B3 Eskişehir: Kaymaz areal, 10 km S of Kaymaz , 12 June 1983 , N. Niski & E. Pütün 50863 (ISTE!).

We do not want to include other Central Anatolian collections of “ F. rigidula ” ( Peşmen 1972, Saǧiroǧlu & Duman 2006) in the paratype list — this issue requires further analysis.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Ferula divaricata, type specimen: mericarp cross-section. 1’: exocarp, 2’: mesocarp, 3’: fibrous mesocarp (hypendocarp), 4’: parenchyma cells of mesocarp with lignified pitted walls, 5’: vascular bundles, 6’: secretory ducts (vittae), 7’: endosperm. Scale bar = 1 mm

FIGURE 3. Natural population of Ferula divaricata in the type locality