Minuartia aksoyi sp. nov. and M. buschiana subsp. artvinica subsp. nov. (Caryophyllaceae) from Turkey

Murat Ko ç , Ergin Hamzaoglu and Ü mit Budak

M. Ko ç (bozokmuratkoc@yahoo.com) and Ü . Budak, Dept of Biology, Faculty of Science and Arts, Bozok Univ., TR-66200 Yozgat, Turkey. – Ergin Hamzao ğ lu, Dept of Elementary Education, Gazi Faculty of Education, Gazi Univ., TR-06500 Ankara, Turkey.

Two new taxa of Minuartia L. (Caryophyllaceae) from Turkey, Minuartia aksoyi M. Ko ç & Hamzao ğ lu sp. nov. and Minuartia buschiana Schischk. subsp. artvinica M. Ko ç & Hamzao ğ lu subsp. nov. are described and illustrated. Th eir taxonomic positions are discussed and they are compared with allied taxa. Th e distributions of the new and closely related taxa are given. Seed structures were examined by SEM.

Minuartia L. belongs to Caryophyllaceae subfam. Alsinoideae (DC.) Fenzl. It is comprised of ca 120 species and is distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, with one species being native to Brazil and Chile (Bittrich 1993). Minuartia includes 7 sections and 74 taxa in ‘ Flora of Turkey ’ (McNeill 1967). Recently, 2 of these taxa have been considered synonymous. In addition, one species, one variety and one hybrid have been added to this genus. As a result, the total number of taxa for this genus has increased to 75 in Turkey (McNeill 1967, Davis et al. 1988, Ayta ç and Duman 2004, Eren et al. 2004, Parolly and Eren 2006, K ü lk ö yl ü o ğ lu et al. 2009, Ö zhatay et al. 2009).

We collected some interesting Minuartia specimens from A ş a ğı ulupınar town (Malatya/Turkey) and T ü t ü nc ü ler Yaylası (Artvin/Turkey) during a project supported by Bozok Univ. to revise sect. Minuartia taxa (Caryophyllaceae) in Turkey. Th ese specimens were compared with related species in the herbarium of Biology Dept of Bozok Univ., and with records in the literature (McNeill 1963, 1967, Rechinger 1964, 1988, Zohary 1966, Halliday 1976, Davis et al. 1988, Shishkin 1995, Boj ň ansk ý and Farga š ov á 2007). Th e studies showed that these specimens are representatives of a new species and a new subspecies.

Seeds were examined with a scanning electron micro-scope (SEM). Measurements and other details given in the description are based on herbarium specimens from Biology Dept of Bozok Univ. and on fi eld observations.

Minuartia aksoyi M. Ko ç & Hamzao g lu sp. nov. (Fig. 1 – 3)

Minuartiae valedictionis McNeill affi nis, sed planta 4 – 13 cm alta (non 15 – 30 cm), dense puberulenta, pilis 0.2 – 0.4 mm longis (non minute puberula, pilis 0.06 – 0.10 mm longis), foliis

basi imbricatis (nec non imbricatis), sepalis lineari-lanceolatiset minus 4-plo longioribus quam latis (non triangulari-lanceolatis et plus 5-plo longioribus quam latis), infl orescentia densa (non laxa), capsula ovoidea (non cylindrica) diff ert.

Type : Turkey. B6 Malatya: Darende, A ş a ğ ıulupınar town, 1450 – 1500 m a.s.l., calcareous rocks, 38 ° 25′ N, 37° 34′ E, 16 Jul 2009, M. Ko ç 730, Hamzao ğ lu and Budak (holo-type: Herbarium of Biology, Dept of Bozok Univ., isotypes: Herbarium of Biology, Dept of Bozok Univ., Herbarium of Biology, Dept of Erciyes Univ., ANK, GAZI).

Etymology Minuartia aksoyi is named in honor of the eminent Turkish botanist Prof. Dr. Ahmet Aksoy (Biology Dept, Erciyes Univ., Kayseri).

Description Caespitose, greenish, perennial herb, densely puberulent (hairs 0.2 – 0.4 mm long) throughout. Stems erect, 4 – 13 cm long, 0.7 – 1.0 mm in diameter at the base, densely branched from the base. Leaves subulate-setaceous, 7 – 12 � 0.6 –0 .8 mm, 3-veined and imbricate toward base, acute to acuminate at apex, with margins membranous and ciliate at the base; leaf sheaths membranous, 0.4 – 0.6 mm long; leaf fascicles open at fl owering-time. Bracts linear-lanceolate, 3 – 6 � 0.7 – 1.2 mm, 3-veined, acute to acuminate at apex, with membranous margins. Infl orescences as compact termi-nal and lateral cymes, with 3 – 10-fl oweres per cymes. Flowers pedicellate; pedicels 2 – 6 mm, erect. Calyx conical in fruit, hardened and truncate at the base. Sepals linear-lanceolate, 3.5 – 6.0 � 1.1 – 1.4 mm, with distinct midvein and 2 faint lateral veins, membranous along margins, long-acuminate at apex. Petals elliptic, 2.5 – 4.0 � 0.9 – 1.6 mm, 1/2 – 2/3 as

Nordic Journal of Botany 30: 001–006, 2012

doi: 10.1111/j.1756-1051.2011.01142.x,

© 2012 Th e Authors. Nordic Journal of Botany © 2012 Nordic Society Oikos

Subject Editor: Arne Strid. Accepted 5 December 2011

Early View (EV): 1-EV

Figure 1. Minuartia aksoyi sp. nov. (A) habit, (B) cyme, (C) bract, (D) sepal, (E) petal, (F) gland (∗ shows location of gland), (G) capsule.

long as sepals, white, obtuse at apex. Stamens 10; fi laments 2 – 3 mm long; staminal glands 5, prominent, bipartite, postioned at the base of outer fi laments, whitish – orange. Styles 1.5 – 2.0 mm. Capsule ovoid, 2.0 – 3.2 � 0.9 – 1.3 mm, 3 – 5-seeded, 1/2 – 1/3 as long as sepals. Seeds oblong and reniform, granulate, 0.6 – 0.9 � 0.4 – 0.7 mm, brown or dark brown, their surface tuberculate in the central area, tubercu-late with papillate tubercles dorsally.

Distribution Minuartia aksoyi is endemic to the east Anatolia region, and is an Irano – Turanian element. It is only known from one locality in Malatya (Fig. 3).

Ecology Minuartia aksoyi sp. nov. grows on calcareous rocks at 1450 – 1500 m a.s.l. together with Centaurea consanguinea

DC., Silene spergulifolia (Desf.) M. Bieb., Silene armena Boiss., Gypsophila tuberculosa Hub.-Mor., Inula fragilis Boiss. & Hausskn., Minuartia meyeri (Boiss.) Bornm. It fl owers in June and fruits in July.

Minuartia buschiana Schischk. subsp. artvinica M. Ko ç & Hamzao g lu subsp. nov. (Fig. 4 – 6)

Affi nis Minuartia buschiana subsp. buschiana, sed caule et foliis puberulis (non glabris), sepalis lineari-lanceolatis (non ovato-lanceolatis), petalis calyce paulo brevioribus (non 1.5-plo longioribus) diff ert.

Type : Turkey. A8 Artvin: Kozlu village, Avana Yaylası, 800 – 900 m a.s.l., calcareous rocks, 41°13 ′ N, 41 ° 39 ′ E, 27 Jul 2010, Hamzao ğ lu 6015, M. Ko ç and Budak (holo-type: Herbarium of Biology, Dept of Bozok Univ., isotypes:

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Herbarium of Biology, Dept of Bozok Univ., Herbarium of Biology, Dept of Erciyes Univ., ANK, GAZI).

Etymology Th e subspecifi c epithet is derived from the geographic name Artvin, a province in northeast Turkey.

Description Caespitose, greenish, perennial herb. Stems erect, densely pubescent, 3 – 13 cm long, 0.5 – 0.8 mm in diameter at the base, branched from the base. Leaves subulate-setaceous, 4 – 12 � 0.7 – 1.0 mm, pubescent, 3-veined, acute to acumi-nate at apex, membranous and ciliate along margins; leaf

Figure 3. Distribution of Minuartia aksoyi sp. nov. (●) and M. valedictionis (▲) in Turkey.

Figure 2. SEM photographs of the seed coat. (A) Minuartia aksoyi , (B) M. valedictionis . Scale bars: (A1), (B1) � 100 μ m, (A2), (B2) � 20 μ m.

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margins, acute to acuminate at apex. Petals oblong-ovate, 2.0 – 3.7 � 0.8 – 1.1 mm, shorter than sepals, white, obtuse at apex. Stamens 10; fi laments 2 – 3 mm long; staminal glands 5, prominent, bipartite, positioned at the base of outer fi la-ments, whitish – orange. Styles 1.5 – 2.0 mm. Capsule ovoid, 2 – 3 � 1.0 – 1.3 mm, 3 – 5-seeded, 2/3 as long as sepals. Seeds reniform or cuneiform, 0.8 – 1.0 � 0.5 – 0.6 mm, blackish or brownish, with granulate surface, tuberculate in the central area, granulate, mammillate-papillate dorsally.

sheaths membranous, 0.4 – 0.6 mm long; leaf fascicles open at fl owering-time. Bracts lanceolate, 2 – 4 � 0.8 – 1.2 mm, glabrous, 3-veined, acute to acuminate at apex, with mem-branous margins. Infl orescences as terminal cymes, lax, with 3 – 7-fl owers per cyme. Flowers pedicellate; pedicels erect, 3 – 12 mm long, 1 – 3 times as long as sepals. Calyx conical in fruit, hardened and truncate at the base. Sepals linear-lanceolate, 2.5 – 4.0 � 0.8 – 1.2 mm, glabrous, with distinct midvein and 2 faint lateral veins,with membranous

Figure 4. Minuartia buschiana subsp. artvinica subsp. nov. (A) habit, (B) cyme, (C) bract, (D) sepal, (E) petal, (F) gland (∗ shows location of gland), (G) capsule.

Figure 5. SEM photographs of the seed coat of Minuartia buschiana subsp. artvinica. Scale bars: (A) � 100 μ m, (B) � 20 μ m.

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Herbarium, 11 specimens) in leaf shape, fl ower number and capsule length. However, Minuartia aksoyi diff er from this species by stems 3 – 13 cm long, indumentum 0.2 – 0.4 mm long and conisting of eglandular hairs, leaves imbri-cate towards base, sepals linear-lanceolate, infl orescence compact, and capsule ovoid (Table 1). Minuartia aksoyi grows in a calcareous rocky habitat, whereas Minuartia valedictionis grows on chalk slopes. However, we found that the seed surfaces of these taxa do not diff er.

Minuartia buschiana subsp. artvinica belongs to sect. Minuartia based on morphological characters such as conical calyx, hardened and truncate base, distinctive staminal glands, and capsule including calyx (McNeill 1967, Halliday 1976). Th is species is similar to Minuartia buschiana subsp. buschiana in stem length, leaf shape, infl orescence, leaf fascicles open at fl owering time, fl ower number and capsule length. Minuartia buschiana subsp. artvinica diff er from subsp. buschiana by having stems densely pubescent, leaves pubescent, sepals linear-lanceolate, and petals shorter than sepals (Table 2). Minuartia buschiana subsp. artvinica is distributed in the east Karadeniz region in Turkey, whereas Minuartia buschiana subsp. buschiana is distributed in the mountains of the western trans-Caucasus in Georgia along the Russian border (Fig. 6).

Acknowledgements – We are indebted to Bozok Univ. for fi nancial support (project no. AFFF-2009 - 5).

References

Ayta ç , Z. and Duman, H. 2004. Six new taxa (Caryophyllaceae) from Turkey. – Ann. Bot. Fenn. 41: 213 – 221.

Bittrich, V. 1993. Caryophyllaceae. – In: Kubitzki, K. et al. (ed.), Th e families and genera of vascular plants. Vol. 2. Magnoliid, Hamamelid, and Caryophyllid families. – Springer, pp. 206 – 236.

Boj ň ansk ý , V. and Farga š ov á , A. 2007. Atlas of seeds and fruits of central and east-European fl ora: the Carpathian mountains region. – Springer, pp. 47 – 91.

Davis, P. H. et al. 1988. Minuartia L. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean Islands 10. – Edinb. Univ. Press, pp. 67 – 69.

Eren, Ö . et al. 2004. Th e fl ora and vegetation of Bakırlı; Da ğ ı (western Taurus Mts, Turkey), including annotations on critical taxa of the Taurus range. – Willdenowia 34: 463 – 503.

Halliday, G. 1976. Minuartia L. – In: Tutin, T. G. et al. (eds), Flora Europaea. Vol. 1. – Cambridge Univ. Press, pp. 152 – 160.

IUCN 2010. Guidelines for using the IUCN red list categories and criteria, ver. 8.1. – � http://intranet.iucn.org/webfi les/doc/SSC/RedList/RedListGuide lines.pdf � .

Distribution Minuartia buschiana subsp. artvinica is endemic to the east Karadeniz region, and is an Euro – Siberian element. It is only known from one locality in Artvin (Fig. 6).

Ecology Minuartia buschiana subsp. artvinica subsp. nov. grows on calcareous rocks at 2500 – 2600 m a.s.l., in the alpine and subalpine zones together with Arenaria rotundifolia M. Bieb., Gypsophila silenoides Rupr., Gypsophila tenuifolia M. Bieb., Cerastium gnaphaloides Fenzl, Aster colchicus Albow., Silene odontopetala Fenzl, Senecio lorentii Hochst., Inula orientalis Lam. It fl owers in July and fruits in August.

Conservation status Minuartia aksoyi and M. buschiana subsp. artvinica are known from only one locality each. Th e two new taxa should be considered ‘ Critically Endangered ’ (CR) under subcrite-ria B1-a and c-ii (IUCN 2010).

Similar species Minuartia aksoyi belongs to sect. Minuartia based on mor-phological characters such as conical calyx, hardened and truncate base, distinctive staminal glands, and capsule including calyx (McNeill 1967, Halliday 1976). Th is spe-cies is similar to Minuartia valedictionis McNeill (M. Ko ç 1258, Hamzao ğ lu & Budak, Bozok Univ. Biology Dept

Table 1. Diagnostic characters of Minuartia aksoyi sp. nov. and M. valedictionis .

M. aksoyi M. valedictionis M. Ko ç 1258, Hamzao g lu and Budak

Plant densely (0.2 – 0.4 mm long) eglandular hairy throughout

Plant densely (0.06 – 0.10 mm long) puberulent

Stem 4 – 13 cm Stem 15 – 30 cmLeaves imbricate towards base Leaves distant at the baseSepals linear-lanceolate and

5 � longer than broadSepals triangular-lanceolate and

5 � longer than broadInfl orescence compact Infl orescence laxCapsule ovoid Capsule cylindrical

Table 2. Diagnostic characters of Minuartia buschiana subsp . artvinica subsp. nov. and M. buschiana subsp. buschiana .

M. buschiana subsp . artvinica M. buschiana subsp. buschiana (Shishkin 1995)

Stems densely pubescent Stems glabrousLeaves pubescent Leaves glabrousSepals linear-lanceolate Sepals ovate-lanceolatePetals shorter than calyx Petals 1.5 � as long as calyx

Figure 6. Distribution of Minuartia buschiana subsp. artvinica subsp. nov. (●) in Turkey and M. buschiana subsp. buschiana (▲) along the Russian and Georgian border.

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Parroly, G. and Eren, Ö . 2006. Contributions to the fl ora of Turkey, 1. – Willdenowia 36: 823 – 844.

Rechinger, K. H. 1964. Minuartia L. – In: Rechinger, K. H. (ed.), Flora of lowland Iraq. – Weinheim, pp. 233 – 234.

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McNeill, J. 1963. Taxonomic studies in the alsinoidae II. A revision of the species in the orient. – Notes R. Bot. Gard. 24: 311 – 401.

McNeill, J. 1967. Minuartia L. – In: Davis, P. H. (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean Islands. Vol. 2. Edinburgh Univ. Press, pp. 38 – 67.

Ö zhatay, N. et al. 2009. Check-list of additional taxa to the supplement fl ora of Turkey IV. – Turk. J. Bot. 33: 191 – 226.

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