Angelica turcica Hamzaoğlu & Koç, 2016

Hamzaoğlu, Ergin & Koç, Murat, 2016, A new gigantic species from Turkey, Angelica turcica (Umbelliferae), Phytotaxa 245 (1), pp. 66-70 : 66-69

Angelica turcica Hamzaoğlu & Koç , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 & 2 )

Angelica turcica is related to A. purpurascens (Avé-Lallemant in Fischer et al. 1842: 73) Gilli (1939: 341), but is distinguished by broadly ovate to suborbicular (not oblong) leaf sheaths; the blade of the lower leaves densely villous (not glabrous) below; sessile and decurrent (not petiolulate) primary leaflets; and mericarps of the fruits with the valleculae 6-vittate and commissures 4-vittate (as opposed to valleculae 1-vittate or commissures 2-vittate).

Type:— TURKEY. Kastamonu: Between Devrekani and Bozkurt, S. of Mamatlar village, above Koru Yaylası, Yaralıgöz Mountains, 1450 m, 22 August 2014 (flower and immature fruit), Hamzaoğlu 7193 & Koç (holotype GAZI!, isotypes ANK!, GAZI!, HUB!).

Coarse perennial herbs. Stem 200−320 cm tall, glabrous, striate, greenish, hollow, 38−65 mm diameter at base. Basal leaves 2–3-ternate to pinnately dissected, long petiolate, mostly withered at fruiting time; petioles 45–80 cm long; blades broadly triangular-cordate in outline, 65–100 × 105–165 cm, ultimate segments lanceolate, with serrate-dentate margin. Lower cauline leaves 1–2-ternate to pinnately dissected, petiolate; petioles up to 30 cm long, with stout, dilated sheathing at base; sheaths broadly ovate to suborbicular, striate, outer surface villous, margin widely scarious; blades broadly ovate in outline, 45−85 × 35−75 cm, glabrous above except villous main nerves, densely villous below, primary leaflets sessile, decurrent, cuneate at base, pinnatifid, with 2−3 pairs of lobes; lobes ovate to lanceolate with acuminate apex and serrate-dentate margin. Middle and upper cauline leaves similar but smaller, with very large sheathing at base, sheaths broadly ovate to suborbicular. Inflorescences compound umbels; rays 35−50, 6.5–11 cm long, very unequal, furrowed, glabrous to short scabrous, densely villous at base; bracts absent or rarely 1−2, usually deciduous, linear-filiform if present; flowers 25−50 per umbel, pedicels 4−12 mm long, very unequal, glabrous to short scabrous, villous at base; bracteoles filiform, numerous but deciduous, as long as or shorter than pedicels. Flowers hermaphroditic, glabrous; calyx 5-toothed; petals greenish-yellow, apex incurved, ca. 1 mm long. Fruits compressed dorsally, broadly oblong-obovate, 9−12 × 8−11 mm, glabrous; three dorsal ribs winged, cork-like, lateral ribs developed as undulate wings, as broad as body of fruit; valleculae 6-vittate; commissures 4-vittate; stylopodium short conical; styles subconical, curved outward, distinctly longer than stylopodium.

Additional specimen examined (paratype): — TURKEY. Kastamonu: Between Devrekani and Bozkurt, SE of Mamatlar village, between Koru and Gürcü Yaylası, Yaralıgöz Mountains, 1340 m, 26 September 2014 (mature fruit), Hamzaoğlu 7200 & Koç ( GAZI!).

Distribution and habitat: — Angelica turcica is known only from the type locality, the Yaralıgöz Mountains of Kastamonu, Turkey, where it usually grows at elevations between 1340 and 1450 m. The species prefers stream sides or forest clearings ( Fig. 3 ).

Conservation status: —According to current data, Angelica turcica grows in an area of approximately 20 km 2 covering the Yaralıgöz Mountains of Kastamonu. For that reason it is proposed that the species should be classified as “Critically Endangered” (CR, B1a) according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list criteria ( IUCN 2014).

Phenology: —The species was observed flowering in August and fruiting in September.

Etymology: —The species is named after the country of Turkey.

Vernacular name: —The new species is known in Turkish as " Türk Melekotu."

Morphological relationships: — Angelica turcica is related to A. purpurascens in its habit and fruit sizes. It mainly differs from A. purpurascens because it has stems 38−65 mm diameter at base (not 7−10 mm); outer surface of lower leaves sheaths villous (not glabrescent); laminas of lower leaves 45−65 × 35−55 cm (not 20−40 × 20−30 cm); umbels 35−50-rayed (not 15−30-rayed). The morphological comparison is shown in Table 1.

Angelica purpurascens is widely distributed in Turkey and Caucasia. It shows notable variation especially in terms of its leaf division and the shape of the lobes. Angelica dura Koch (1842: 357) was identified in north-easternern Turkey, with its original description quite short. According to the protologue, A. dura has bi‒tripinnate leaves and oblong-lanceolate ultimate segments. Tommasinia szowitsii Boissier (1844: 302) and T. kotschyi Boissier (1844: 302) were identified in southern Turkey and northern Iran. Tommasinia szowitsii has bi‒triternate leaves and oblong ultimate segments, whereas T. kotschyi has triternate leaves and ovate ultimate segments. However, all these names are now accepted as synonyms of Angelica purpurascens , and are different from this new species.

Specimens examined: — Angelica purpurascens (Avé-Lall.) Gilli. TURKEY. Konya: Hadim, Beyreli village, Gevne Valley , 1545 m, 15 July 1998, H. Duman 6717 (GAZI!); [Toros Mountains]: In monte Tauro [southern Turkey], K. G. T. Kotschy 215 ( COI!, photo) ; Sivas: Şarkışla, S. of Çerçialan village, Cehennemdere , c. 1700 m, 21 July 1979, H. Peşmen 1980 ( ANK!) ; Hakkari: Cilo Mountain, Kırıkdağ village, Cehennem Stream , 2530 m, 7 August 2009, damp places, A. Duran 8708 & B. Doğan ( KNYA!) ; Kars: Yalnızçam Mountains , c. 2100 m, 19 August 1957, P. H. Davis & I. Hedge 32487 ( ANK!) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Angelica turcica. A: Cauline leaf. B: Inflorescence. C: Front side of fruit. D: Back side of fruit. E: The cross section of the fruit (Hamzaoğlu 7193, GAZI).

FIGURE 2. Angelica turcica. A: Habit. B: Cauline leaf. C: Inflorescence (Hamzaoğlu 7193, GAZI).

FIGURE 3. Distribution map of Angelica turcica (Ì) and A. purpurascens (Z) in Turkey.