Crocus biflorus subsp. yataganensis KERNDORFF & PASCHE, 2006

Kerndorff, H. & Pasche, E., 2006, Crocus biflorus (Liliiflorae, Iridaceae) in Anatolia (Part Three), Linzer biologische Beiträge 38 (1), pp. 165-187 : 178-179

Crocus biflorus subsp. yataganensis KERNDORFF & PASCHE , subsp. nova

H o l o t y p u s Turkey, Caria, Province Muğla, Doğu Menteşe Dağları, 1000-1200 m, 18.3.2004, HKEP 0402 (LI).

Impressio generaliter cum subsp. pulchricolori et subsp. ionopharynx affinis, sed distinctum ab subsp. pulchricolori per folia minores, structura atque ovi putamen, segmentas angustioras, antheras brevioras, 1(2) costas foliis inferioris, stylos qui plerumque sunt longiores vel longas aequalis, et per ramos styli qui sunt distincte longiores, scabrous et papillosos.

Distinctum ab subsp. ionopharynx per filamentas brevioras, sine exceptione antherae lutae, antherarum connectivum incoloratum et rami stylorum longiores.

Corm globose, about 10-15 mm in diameter. Tunics coriaceous, splitting longitudinally into numerous stripes, with rings at base. Neck short, approximately 3 mm. Cataphylls 3, silvery-white, drying light brownish. Leaves shorter than flowers at anthesis, 2-5 but normally 3, green, (1)- 1.5 mm in diameter, glabrous, (1) 2 ribs underneath. White stripe normal, width approximately 1/3 of leaf diameter. Throat yellow, glabrous, perianth tube whitish. Outer segments between 20 and 30 mm but usually 25 mm long, between 6 and 11 mm mostly 8 mm wide. Inner segments between 15 and 29 mm but usually 22 mm long and between 6 and 10 mm frequently 8 mm wide. Inside all segments are blue-violet without markings, outside also blue-violet rarely with diffuse featherings or specklings but with a distinct dark violet blotch towards the perianth tube. Colouring and marking similar to outer segments but violet blotch much smaller or not existent. Prophyll absent. Bract and bracteole present, silvery-white, conspicuous. Filaments on average 3.5 mm long, deep yellow, glabrous or scabrid; anthers on average 8.1 mm long, yellow, connective colourless. Pollen yellow. The styles are deep red, divided into 3 branches which are trumpet-shaped and fringed towards the end; branches 5-11 mm but usually 8 mm long, scabrid to densely papillose. The styles are mostly longer to equal as the stamens. Capsule and seeds not seen. Chromosome number unknown.

In its overall appearance the new subsp. yataganensis is somewhat similar to subspp. pulchricolor and ionopharynx. The differences to subsp. pulchricolor are: coriaceous corm tunic (membranous in subsp. pulchricolor ) more narrow segments, shorter anthers, smaller number of leaves with 1 or mostly 2 ribs underneath ( subsp. pulchricolor usually has none); the styles are usually longer to equal (94%) compared to the stamens. In subsp. pulchricolor the styles are mostly equal to or shorter than the stamens (79%). The style-branches are scabrid to densely papillose whereas those of subsp. pulchricolor are glabrous or slightly scabrid. Finally, the style branches of subsp. yataganensis are relatively long, on average 7,7 mm compared to 4,6 mm of subsp. pulchricolor . The differences to subsp. ionopharynx are: shorter filaments (3,5 mm compared to 7,4 mm in subsp. ionopharynx ); always yellow anthers and colourless connectives instead of blackish or dark greyish anthers with blackish connectives towards the apex. The stylebranches of subsp. yataganensis are 7.7 mm long (mean) compared to 5 mm in subsp. ionopharynx .

As can be seen from the dendrogram, subsp. yataganensis has a rather isolated morphological position. It is a typical representative of a phenomenon widely observed within the genus. The number and nature of morphological parameters are more or less constant in the genus but often different taxa are only described by their different combinations of characters which is obviously the case for subsp. yataganensis . We believe that, in combination with isolated occurrences and/or large geographical distances between allies, a taxonomical recognition seems to be justified in such cases.

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d h a b i t a t Turkey, Caria, Muğla Province, very local, in open forests, along mountain slopes, together with Pinus nigra subsp. pallasiana, Cistus laurifolius, Gagea, Draba, grasses and others. Crocus biflorus subsp. yataganensis grows on calcareous formations. Known only from the type locality in the Doğu Menteşe Dağları in mountainous areas not far from the City of Yatağan (hence the name yataganensis). Specimens of this new subspecies are very colourful as can be seen from the colour-plate and photographs. When looking into an open flower the comparatively long and deep red style-branches are most remarkable. Apart from those of C. biflorus subsp. wattiorum they are the longest ones (up to 11 mm) found in the "species" considering the populations investigated in south-west Anatolia.