Duran, A., B. Dogan, E. Hamzaoğlu & A. Aksoy (2011). Scorzonera coriacea A. Duran & Aksoy (Asteraceae, Cichorieae), a new species from South Anatolia, Turkey. Candollea 66: 353–359. In English, English and French abstracts.
A new species, Scorzonera coriacea A. Duran & Aksoy (Asteraceae) from Anatolia, Turkey, is described and illustrated. The species grows in open Pinus nigra forest and on the serpentine stony slopes of the Kızıldağ Mountain in the district of Derebucak (Konya province) and in the Kızıldağ National Park in the district of Şarkikaraağaç (Isparta province). Scorzonera coriacea is a very distinct species, and with no obvious allies among other Scorzonera species in Turkey in terms of morphological features. The new species is an endemic confined to the Southern Anatolia. Notes on its ecology, biogeography and its conservation status are also presented. The geographical distribution of the new species is mapped.
Introduction
The genus Scorzonera L. includes about 180 species and being of an ancient Mediterranean origin, it is widely spread in arid regions of Eurasia and Africa (Lack, 2007). The first thorough classification of the genus Scorzonera is given by Candolle (1805). According to his system, Scorzonera includes perennial herbs and shrubs with simple, entire, rarely pinnatifid leaves, and phyllaries always deprived of horns. Considerable changes in the treatment of the genus Scorzonera were introduced by Boissier (1875) who included Podospermum DC. and Epilasia (Bunge) Benth. as sections within the genus Scorzonera. The most complete and much changed system is given by Lipschitz in two parts of this classical “Fragmente monographiae Scorzonera” (Lipschitz, 1935, 1939). The concept of the genus introduced by Lipschitz is accepted in many regional “Floras” (Chamberlain, 1975; Chater, 1976; Rechinger, 1977).
According to Chater (1976) the genus Scorzonera is represented with 28 species in Europe. Chamberlain (1975) gives 39 species for Turkey, among them only five of the European species, namely S. cana (C. A. Mey.) O. Hoffm., S. cretica Willd., S. hispanica L., S. laciniata L., S. mollis M. Bieb. Since the revision of the genus Scorzonera by Chamberlain (1975) for the Flora of Turkey, some other new taxa, such as S. pisidica Hub.-Mor. (Davis & al., 1988), S. latifolia var. angustifolia Lipsch. (Güner, 2000), S. sandrasica Hartvig & Strid (Güner, 2000), S. longiana Sümbül (Güner, 2000), S. adilii A. Duran (Duran, 2002), S. ulrichii Parolly & N. Kilian (Kilian & Parolly, 2002), S. karabelensis Parolly & N. Kilian (Parolly & Kilian, 2003), S. yildirimlii A. Duran & Hamzaoğlu (Duran & Hamzaoğlu, 2004), S. ketzkhovelii Grossh. & Sosn. have been added to the Flora of Turkey (Hamzaoğlu & al., 2010). In recent years, S. argyria Boiss. and S. amasiana Hausskn. & Bornm. which have been poorly known endemic species, were studied based on their morphological, karyological, and palynological descriptions and their current conservation statuses were re-evaluated with respect to the latest IUCN criteria (Karaer & Celep, 2007; Dinç & Bağci, 2009). Forty-nine Scorzonera species are now known to inhabit Turkey. In this paper, a new Scorzonera species is described and illustrated.
During a field trip, we collected some specimens of the genus Scorzonera in Southern Anatolia, in the Konya and Isparta provinces. Following a careful examination, and by studying the specific descriptions of Scorzonera in Chamberlain (1975), Chater (1976), Davis & al. (1988) and Güner (2000), Özhatay & al. (1999), Özhatay & Kültür (2006), Özhatay & al. (2009), as well as comparing with specimens in the herbaria E, G, GAZI, HUB, K, KNYA and ANK, we found that our specimens represent a species new to science. In the description below, each numerical value is the average of ten measurements from different specimens.
Scorzonera coriacea A. Duran & Aksoy, spec. nova (Fig. 1, 2)
Typus: Turkey. C3 Konya: Derebucak, Çamlık district, Kızıldağ, serpentine stony places, 1400 m, 37°21.869′N 31°40.501′E, 12.VI.2009, A. Duran 8349 & B. Doğan (holo-: KNYA; iso-: GAZI, ANK, HUB, Selçuk Univ., Herbarium of the Faculty of Education).
Planta perennis; foliis veternis basi reliquis; caule 5–11-folio, cavo, glabro, tumido basi capitulis; folio integro, lineari vel lineari-lanceolato, plane coriaceo, amplexicauli, 10-29 × 0.6-1.5 cm; capitulo uno per caule; achenio 16-22 × 2-3 mm.
Caulescent perennial herb. Rootstock thickened, cylindrical, clearly clothed with the remains of old leaf bases. Stem with 5–11 leaves, erect, hollow, glabrous, clearly striate, 20–50 cm tall, 3–5 mm diam. at base, more thickening towards the capitulum, unbranched, tomentose and significantly swollen below the capitulum. Basal leaves crowded, entire, narrowly linear or linear-lanceolate, distinctly coriaceous, glabrous to sparsely tomentulose, greenish, amplexicaul, 10-29 × 0.6-1.5 cm, margins plane, apex acute to acuminate, lamina gradually narrowed towards the base, the main veins distinctly conspicuous; cauline leaves very similar to basal leaves but smaller, decreasing in size upwards. Capitula one per stem, 25-50 × 12-20 mm. Outer phyllaries 10-20 × 5-10 mm, broadly lanceolate to ovate, acute to acuminate at apex, glabrescent or sometimes with densely tomentose upper sides; inner phyllaries 25-40 × 8-10 mm, lanceolate, ± acute, sparsely tomentose and scarious margins below part. Flowers yellow, ligules longer than inner phyllaries, 10-12 × 1-1.5 mm, style branches filiform. Achenes 16-22 × 2-3 mm, ridged, furrow, regularly verrucosemuricate, narrowly ellipsoid, glabrous; pappus 24–26 mm, straw-coloured, hairs plumose below, plumose and barbellate only above.
Flowering period. — May-June, fruiting period June-July.
Distribution and ecology. — Scorzonera coriacea appears to be endemic of limited range in the south-eastern edge of the Çamlık and Kızıldağ National Park areas, forming the western part of the Central Taurus. The specimens were collected in Derebucak (C3 Konya province) and Şarkikaraağaç (B3 Isparta province) districts, where the species appears to be rare and local (Fig. 3). Scorzonera coriacea grows on serpentine stony slopes, within open Pinus nigra forest together with Noccaea camlikensis Aytaç, Nordt & Parolly, Sideritis ozturkii Aytaç & Aksoy, Bornmuellera kiyakii Aytaç & Aksoy, Centaurea kizildaghensis Uzunh. & al., Silene ozyurtii Aksoy & Hamzaoğlu, Eryngium trisectum Wörz & H. Duman, Rindera dumanii Aytaç & R. R. Mill, Stipa cacuminis H. Scholz & Parolly, Medicago orbicularis (L.) Bartal., Polygala pruinosa subsp. megaptera Cullen, Briza humilis M. Bieb., Fumana procumbens (Dun.) Gren. & Godr., Eryngium kotschyi Boiss., Campanula stricta L. var. stricta, Rosularia chrysantha (Boiss.) Takht., Phleum boissieri Bornm., Myosotis lithospermifolia (Willd.) Hornem., Salvia frigida Boiss., Helichrysum arenarium subsp. aucheri (Boiss.) P. H. Davis & Kupicha.
Scorzonera coriacea spreads out in the regions of both Kızıldağ (Derebucak, Konya Province) and the Kızıldağ National Park (Isparta province). Kızıldağ (Derebucak) is positioned to the south of the Beyşehir Lake while the Kızıldağ National Park resides in the north of the lake. Both localities consist of serpentine areas that are locally isolated from their surroundings in terms of their rocky characteristics. Many local endemic species inhabit such localities of serpentine areas.
Conservation status. — Scorzonera coriacea is endemic to the Derebucak (Konya province) and Kızıldağ National Park (Isparta province), Anatolia. The species is known only from two populations within an area of approximately 7000 m2 (criterion B2a). The populations are in a poor condition and the number of individuals is estimated to be approximately 150–160. Therefore it should be regarded as ‘Critically Endangered’ (IUCN, 2001).
Notes. — Scorzonera coriacea seems to be a very distinct species of the genus Scorzonera without any close relatives. It differs from all other Scorzonera species, possessing a clear clothing with the remains of old leaf bases; hollow stems, glabrous, more thickening towards capitula, significantly swollen below capitula; leaves distinctly coriaceous, glabrous to sparsely tomentulose, amplexicaul, the main veins distinctly conspicuous; cauline leaves similar to basal leaves; capitula one per stem, achenes of 16–22 mm long; and pappus of 24–26 mm long.
Scorzonera coriacea resembles to S. parviflora Jacq. in general appearance. Scorzonera parviflora grows in salt marshes habitats in Eurasia, and it is readily distinguished from S. coriacea by its creeping rootstock; glabrous leaves; capitula 20–25 mm long; inner phyllaries 15–20 mm long and achenes 7–8 mm long (Table 1).
Scorzonera coriacea is superficially similar to S. semicana DC. It mainly differs from S. semicana by its clear stem clothing with the remains of old leaf bases (not clothed); stem unbranched, hollow (not branched, solid); capitula 1 per stem (not 1–4 per stem), and flowers drying yellow (not light purple); achene narrowly ellipsoid (not swollen at base) (Table 1).
Palaeopalynological data show that Anatolia had a dense vegetation cover in the last interglacial period. The topography of Turkey has since changed many times, introducing different microclimates in the tectonic valleys (Gemici, 1993). The Taurus mountain range is a botanically interesting area, occupying the Mediterranean phyto-geographical region. The area is very rich in local endemic plants (Duran & al., 2005). Scorzonera coriacea grows in the Taurus Mountains which are under the influence of the Mediterranean Sea (Fig. 4). Recently many publications were published on new species from this particular region, notably Noccaea camlikensis (Aytaç & al., 2006), Sideritis ozturkii (Aytaç & Aksoy, 2000a), Bornmuellera kiyakii (Aytaç & Aksoy, 2000b), Centaurea kizildaghensis (Uzunhisarcikli & al., 2007), Silene ozyurtii (Aksoy & al., 2009 ), Eryngium trisectum (Wörz & Duman, 2004), Rindera dumanii (Aytaç & Mill, 2005), and Stipa cacuminis (Parolly & Scholz, 2004).
The serpentine habitats are characterized by their lack of nutrients and their high concentration of heavy metals, especially nickel, which may be toxic for many plants. Physiological adaptions to these habitats include either tolerance, or accumulation and storage of these toxic metal ions. Hyperaccumulation of nickel is frequently observed in many Turkish species of the Brassicaceae (Thlaspi, Cochlearia) (Reeves, 1988 ), Alyssum (Reeves & al., 1983) and of Centaurea (Reeves & Adigüzel, 2004).
Paratypes. — Turkey. C3 Konya: Derebucak, Çamlık, Kızıldağ, serpentine stony places, 1445 m, 37°21.028′N 31°39. 082′E, 30.V.2005, E. Hamzaoğlu 3707 & Aksoy (KNYA); Derebucak, Çamlık, Suluin road, serpentine stony places, 1300 m, 37°21.299′N 31°36.467′E, 11.VI.2008, A. Duran 8042 (KNYA). B3 Isparta: Şarkikaraağaç, Kızıldağ National Park, 1600–1700 m, 25.VI.1994, B. Mutlu 928 (HUB); Şarkikaraağaç, Kizildağ National Park, 1100–1250 m, 25.V.1994, B. Mutlu 579 (HUB).
Additional specimens examined. — Scorzonera semicana DC.: Turkey. B5 Aksaray: Taşkestik tepesi, step, 1100 m, 19.V.2005, M. Öztürk 401 (MR). B9 Van: Başkale, Güzeldere pass, 2700 m, 15.VI.2002, M. Armağan 2388 (VANF). C7 Urfa: Siverek, 15 km E. of Siverek, 900 m, 19.V.1957, Davis 28286 (ANK). C8 Mardin: 5 km N. of Mardin, 1100 m, 25.V.1957, Davis 28603 (ANK).
Scorzonera parviflora Jacq.: Turkey. B4 Aksaray: Eskil, Gölyazı to Tuz lake, 910 m, 29.VI.2009, B. Doğan 2104 (KNYA); Eskil, Gölyazı to Tuz lake, 920 m, 10.VI.2005, A. Duran 7029 & B. Doğan (KNYA). B4 Konya: Kulu to Tuz lake, 910 m, 27.VI.2006, A. Duran 7144 (KNYA). B5 Kırşehir: Sifegöl (Seyfe Lake), Mucur, 17.VI.1954, Davis 21787 (ANK).
Fig. 2.
Scorzonera coriacea A. Duran & Aksoy. A. Habit ; B. Capitulum at anthesis ; C. Capitulum in fruit ; D. Achene.
Table 1.
Comparison between the diagnostic characters of Scorzonera coriacea A. Duran & Aksoy, S. parviflora Jacq. and S. semicana DC.
Acknowledgements
We express our thanks to TÜBİTAK (Project no. TBAG-105T355) and to The Scientific Investigation Projects Coordinate Office of The Selçuk University (Project no: 05401046) for financial support.
