Minuartiella serpentinicola Koç & Hamzaoğlu, 2019

Koç, Murat, Hamzaoğlu, Ergin & Aksoy, Ahmet, 2019, Morphological and molecular evidence of Turkish Minuartiella species (Caryophyllaceae), with a desciption of a new species and a proposal for a new combination, Phytotaxa 409 (3), pp. 161-171 : 164-169

Minuartiella serpentinicola Koç & Hamzaoğlu , sp. nov. ( Figs. 2–5 ).

Type:— TURKEY: Yeşilova village, Eşeler mountain, 41°53’N – 027°29’E, 2260 m, 18.08.2014, stony area with serpentines, Koç, Hamzaoğlu & Aksoy 1847 (holotype GAZI!, isotypes GAZI!, ANK!, HUB!).

Diagnosis ( Table 2): — Minuartiella serpentinicola is similar to Minuartiella pestalozzae from which differs mainly for its stems 3–12 cm long [ M. serpentinicola has stems (13–) 16–25 cm long]. sterile shoot leaves 10–18 mm long [ M. serpentinicola has sterile shoot leaves 7–10 mm long], stem leaves triangular and 13–19 mm long [ M. serpentinicola has stem leaves lanceolate and 7–10(–12) mm long], bracts ovate-lanceolate [ M. serpentinicola has bracts lanceolate], sepals 15–20 mm long and triangular [ M. serpentinicola has sepals 10–14 mm long and linear-lanceolate], seed ventral surfaces cells papillate [ M. serpentinicola seed ventral surfaces cells concave], anticlinal walls irregular V–undulate [ M. serpentinicola seed anticlinal walls incertain], seed dorsal surface fimbriatepapillate [ M. serpentinicola seed dorsal surfaces fimbriate], seed dorsal surfaces anticlinal walls are irregular V–undulate [ M. serpentinicola seed dorsal surfaces anticlinal walls incertain], habitat being calceraous rocks [ M. serpentinicola live in stony area with serpentines].

Description:— Perennial, densely cushion. Stems erect, (13–) 16–25 cm hight, diameter 1–2 mm, glabrous or glandular puberulent, greenish, 4–7-noded with nodes swollen. Steril shoot leaves linear-lanceolate, 7–10 × 1.3–1.8 mm, glabrous or puberulent, 5–9-veined, greenish, imbricate; sheath membranous, 0.1–0.2 mm, awned at the apex. Stem leaves lanceolate-setaceous, 7–10(–12) × 1.8–2.5 mm, glabrous or scabrous, 5–9-veined, the middle vein is distinct, greenish; margins membranous towards the base, glabrous or rarely scabrous, acute to acuminate and spiny at the apex. Bracts lanceolate, 7–11 × 2.5–3.5 mm, glabrous or glandular hairy, 9–17-veined, the middle vein is distinct, greenish, apex acuminate, awned. Pedicels 4–8 mm, erect, puberulent-glandular hairy. Inflorescence dense, 3–5-flowered. Sepals linear-lanceolate, 10–14 × 1.7–2.5 mm, glabrous or puberulent-glandular hairy, 9–17-veined, greenish, margins membranous towards the apex, apex acuminate, awned. Petals ovate-eliptic, 3.5–5 × 1.8–2.5 mm, 1/3 as long as sepals, cuneate at base, rounded at apex. Stamens 10, filaments 5–8 mm long. Staminal glands at the base of filaments, inconspicuous. Styles 2.0– 3.5 mm long. Capsule cylindrical, 5.5–7.5 × 2.8–4 mm, 3–5-seeded, 1/2 as long as sepals. Seeds reniform, 1.0–1.6 × 1.0– 1.6 mm, brown granulate; ventral surface cells concave, anticlinal walls incertain; dorsal surface fimbriate, anticlinal walls are incertain.

Etymology:— The specific epithet refers to the geological substratum of the Yeşilova village and the surroundings of Eşeler mountain which consist of serpentines.

Vernacular name:— “Serpantin Dikeni” (Turkish), “Serpentine Thorn” (English).

Phenolgy: —Flowering time June, fruiting time July–August.

Distribution and habitat:— Minuartiella serpentinicola occurs in a rocky stony area with serpentines at altitude of 2260 m a.s.l. in Yeşilova village (Burdur province), which is part of the Mediterranean phytogeographic region.

Conservation status:— On the basis of the available data, Minuartiella serpentinicola covers an AOO of approximately 10 km 2 (only one locality in Burdur Province). Due to overgrazing, the habitat of this species is under threat, and habitat destruction is leading to the reduction in the number of plants. We here assess the new species as Endangered [EN (B1a)] according to IUCN (2013).

Key to the species of genus Minuartiella :— It follows:

as sepals................................................................................................................................................................... M. serpentinicola

– Stems 5–11(–13) cm long; leaves not-awned; bracts 5–7 mm long; petals 4.5–7 mm; capsules 3.5–5 mm long, 1/3 as long as sepals ......................................................................................................................................................................... M. × antalyensis

4. Stems 16–33 cm long; stem leaves 15–27 mm long; inflorescence dense, 6–24-flowered ............................................... M. elmalia

– Stems 6–13 cm long; stem leaves 4.5–15 mm long; inflorescence lax, 1–6-flowered ...................................................................... 5

5. Seeds dorsal surface fimbriate..................................................................................................................................... M. dianthifolia

4a. Petals shorter than sepals.................................................................................................................. M. dianthifolia var. dianthifolia

4b. Petals longer than sepals................................................................................................................... M. dianthifolia var. longipetala

5. Seeds dorsal surface papillate....................................................................................................................................... M. acuminata

Selected specimens examined:— Minuartiella pestalozzae . TURKEY. B3 Afyon: Çay district, Sultan mountain , 1800 m, 29.09.1994, rocky, Aytaç & F. A. K. 6800 ( GAZI!) ; Afyon: Sultan mountain, Çay district, Yelliboyun village , 2250 m, 27.06.1976, Dökmeci (35452– ISTE!) ; C2 Denizli: Honaz mountain , 37°40’56’’N – 029°16’22’’E, 2200 m, 25.06.2014, Koç, Hamzaoğlu & Aksoy 1739 ( GAZI!) ; Muğla: Çal mountain , 1900-2000 m, 09.06.1984, open forest, calcereous rocks, Hart, Seçmen & Strid (31080– EGE!) ; Denizli: Baba mountain ; Evrentepe hills, 1950 m, 09.08.1996, rocks, Oluk ( EGE1707 !) ; C3 Antalya: Çalbalı mountain, Feslikan plateau, 36°49’33’’N – 30°20’57’’E, 1900 m, 29.06.2014, calcereous rocks, Koç 1769, Hamzaoğlu & Aksoy ( GAZI!) ; Antalya: Saklıkent , 36°49’16’’N – 30°20’03’’E, 2510 m, 29.06.2014, calcereous rocks, Koç, Hamzaoğlu & Aksoy 1772 ( GAZI!) ; Isparta: Dedegöl mountain , 2100 m, 01.06.1965, (15081– ISTO) ; Antalya: Bey mountain, Saklıkent hills, ca. 2350-2500 m, 10.06.1999, calcerous rocky slopes, Döring 6492 ( GAZI) ; Ibid, Parolly 6552 ( GAZI!) ; ıbidem, Tolimir 6507 ( GAZI!) ; Isparta: Eğirdir, Yaka village , ca. 1640-1970 m, 09.06.1974, Peşmen 1708 ( ANK!) ; C4 Konya: Kâzımkarabekir, Hacıbaba mountain , ca. 2400 m, 08 August 1984, alpine, Serin 770 ( ANK!) ; Konya: Kızılören mountain , ca. 1700 m, 20.06.1989, Eyce, Serin & Tatlı ( KNYA9077 !) .

Minuartiella acuminata : IRAN. Nr Tabriz, Mishou Dagh, 19 July 1928, BGilliat-Smith 2374 (K000567997- photo!).

Minuartiella serpentinicola . Burdur: Yeşilova village, Eşeler mountain, 41°53’N – 027°29’E, 2260 m, 18.08.2014, stony area with serpentines, Koç, Hamzaoğlu & Aksoy 1847 (GAZI!).

Minuartiella pestalozzae . Antalya: Saklıkent, 36°49’16’’N – 30°20’03’’E, 2510 m, 29 June 2014, Koç, Hamzaoğlu & Aksoy 1772 (GAZI!).

Minuartiella elmalia . C2 Antalya: Korkuteli district, between Beğiş- Avlan village, 36°53’N – 30°07’E, 1460 m, 29 June 2014, Koç, Hamzaoğlu & Aksoy 1785 (GAZI!).

Minuartiella dianthifolia var. dianthifolia . Kayseri: between Develi-Saimbeyli district, Bakır mountain, 38°11’42’’N – 36°00’00’’E, 2315 m, 08 June 2014, Koç, Hamzaoğlu & Aksoy 1658 (GAZI!).

Minuartiella ×antalyensis . Antalya: Saklıkent, 36°49’16’’N – 30°20’03’’E, 2510 m, 01 August 2015, Koç, Hamzaoğlu & Aksoy 2119 (GAZI!).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Minuartiella serpentinicola: (A) habit, (B) cyme, (C) bract, (D) sepal, (E) petal, (F) gland, (G) capsule.

FIGURE 3. Minuartiella serpentinicola: A1 (habit), B1 (inflorescence); M. pestalozzae: A2 (habit), B2 (inflorescence).

FIGURE 4. SEM photographs of the seed coat. (A) Minuartiella serpentinicola, (B) M. pestalozzae. Scale bars: 200 mm (A1, and B1), 100 mm (A2, and B2), 10 mm (A3, and B3).

FIGURE 5. Distribution map of Minuartiella serpentinicola (▲), and M. pestalozzae (●) in Turkey.