Origanum ×malyeri Dirmenci & Yazıcı, 2018

Dirmenci, Tuncay, Özcan, Taner, Yazici, Türker, Arabaci, Turan & Martin, Esra, 2018, Morphological, cytological, palynological and molecular evidence on two new hybrids from Turkey: an example of homoploid hybridization in Origanum (Lamiaceae), Phytotaxa 371 (3), pp. 145-167 : 148-150

Origanum ×malyeri Dirmenci & Yazıcı , nothosp. nov. ( Figs. 2–4)

( Origanum vulgare L. subsp. hirtum (Link) A.Terracc. × Origanum boissieri Ietsw. )

Type:— TURKEY. C 5 İçel: between Çamlıyayla and Saydibi, 13. km, calcareous in open Abies cilica and Cedrus libani forest, 6050 ft., 37.219730 N, 34.563330 E, 01 October 2015, Dirmenci 4502 & Yazıcı (Holotype GAZI, isotypes ANK, ISTE, HUB, EGE).

Diagnosis:— Origanum × malyeri is similar to its parents, O. boissieri and O. vulgare subsp. hirtum . It is distinguished from O. boissieri by its stems densely hirtellous (versus villous), leaves glabrous to sparsely hirtellous and punctate (versus not slightly hirsute and punctate), calyx 2-lipped to ½ and 3.5–4 mm (not 2-lipped to 3/5 and 4–6 mm). It can be distinguished from O. vulgare subsp. hirtum by its leaves margins ciliate (versus not ciliate), calyx 2-lipped to ½ (versus regular), corolla pinkish (versus white) ( Figs. 2, 3A–F , 4A–I ).

Description:—Subshrubs. Stems ascending to erect, 15–55 cm, rooting at the base, purplish brown, young shoots and flowering stems densely hirtellous with sparsely sessile glands; branches of the first order present, in the upper part of the stems upper 1/3–1/5, up to 6 pairs per stem, to 4 cm long, branches of the second order sometime so. Leaves ovate, 8–24 × 4–16 mm, flat, subsessile to 2 mm petiolate, acute at apex, glabrous to sparsely hirtellous with densely sessile glands on both surfaces, ciliate at margins. Spikes cylindrical, 10–30 × 4–6 mm, nodding. Bracts obovate, 4–7 × 2–4 mm, purple to purplish green, acute to acuminate at apex, glabrous to sparsely puberulent with sessile glands. Flowers two per verticillaster, only female. Calyx 2-lipped for c. ½, 3.5–4 mm, tubular-campanulate, sparsely hirtellous with densely sessile glands, throat pilose; upper lip teeth 3, 1–1.25 mm, triangular-lanceolate, middle tooth longer than laterals; lower lip teeth 2, lanceolate 1–1.5 mm, shorter than uppers. Corolla 2-lipped for 1/5, 5–6 mm, pinkish, not saccate, exserted from calyx, hirtellous with sessile glands on the tube and outside of limbs; upper lip emarginate; lower lip deeply divided to 3 parts. Style exserted from corolla, unequally 2-lobed, glabrous. Stamen absent.

Etymology:—This hybrid was named in honor of the Turkish botanist Prof. Dr. Hulusi Malyer.

Habitat and ecology:—The new hybrid grows in calcareous rocks between Abies cilicica (Antoine & Kotschy) Carriére , Cedrus libani A.Rich. and Juniperus sp.

Flowering time:—August to September

Distribution and conservation status:— Origanum ×malyeri is known only from the type locality, and it is an East Mediterranean element, where its distribution area is less than 1000 m 2, and the total number of individuals is approximately 10. (B2abi-v). All the specimens of this hybrid have only female flowers and so not detect any nutlet. Therefore, it should be regarded, according to the World Conservation Union (IUCN), as a Critically Endangered (CR) species (IUCN Species Survival Commission 2014).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Flowers and calyx of Origanum boissieri (A, D); O. ×malyeri (B, E); O. vulgare subsp. hirtum (C, F).

FIGURE 4. Habitus, inflorescence and spicules of Origanum boissieri (A, D, G); O. ×malyeri (B, E, H); O. vulgare subsp. hirtum (C, F, I).