Crocus biflorus

Kerndorff, H. & Pasche, E., 2006, Crocus biflorus (Liliiflorae, Iridaceae) in Anatolia (Part Three), Linzer biologische Beiträge 38 (1), pp. 165-187 : 167

Investigated Crocus biflorus populations on individual mountain stocks

The mountains of Caria and Pisidia belong to very different geological formations and have specific histories. In general, rather complex structures exist, predominantly consisting of magmatites and metamorphic rocks with silica based soils but less frequently of calcareous formations like those of the Taurus range. Botanically, silica based soils often imply a somewhat "reduced" flora. This, however, is generally not observed in the Carian and Pisidian mountains. Particularly Caria has a rich mountain flora, which obviously was rather neglected by former botanists. From our point of view this certainly applies to C. biflorus . In Map 1 the visited mountains of Caria and Pisidia are presented. On all mountains C. biflorus populations could be found to the exception of the Akdağ range west of Denizli and of several high mountain ranges bordering the central Anatolian highland, e.g., Barla dağ, Sultan dağları, Karakuş dağları, and Kumalar dağı.

In general, C. biflorus populations of the Mediterranean belt were found between 800 and 1200 m, and those of the Irano-Turanian region mostly between 1400 and 2000 m. Several of the investigated populations belong to new taxa that have been described by us meanwhile (KERNDORFF & PASCHE 2003 and 2004a) or that are described in this paper, while others seem to be transitional forms between known taxa or known and newly described taxa but which are impossible to classify at the moment. Three populations were suggested to be connected with subsp. pulchricolor (HERBERT) B. MATHEW so it was necessary to include at least one population of this taxon of proofed origin in our field studies. In 2004 we investigated a large population of subsp. pulchricolor in the Bolu region found by us in 1995 (HKEP 9518 in Table 1 and Colour Plates) which is quite suitable for this purpose. Some other populations were found (slightly) outside the borders of areas 7 and 17 but it is useful to include them into our investigation for comparative purposes ( Table 1). All populations can be compared with at least one defined population of proven origin from our investigations of the Lycian and Pisidian Taurus as well as the Antitaurus and Mesopotamia. In addition, populations of two known autumnflowering members of the C. biflorus aggregate in south-west Anatolia are taken into consideration (HKEP 9548 & HKEP 0327 in Table 1 and Colour Plates). In total, 45 populations were investigated, 31 of which are from south-west Anatolia, and 15 from Caria and Pisidia ( Map 1). The major aim of the present paper is to provide a synoptic evaluation of their morphological similarity and geographical distribution.