Polygala azizsancarii Dönmez, 2018

Dönmez, Ali A. & Aydin, Zübeyde Uğurlu, 2018, Polygala azizsancarii (Polygalaceae), a new species from Mardin Province, SE Turkey, Phytotaxa 340 (3), pp. 255-262 : 256-258

Polygala azizsancarii Dönmez , sp. nov. ( Polygala L. sect. Polygala subsect. Polygala ) ( Figs. 1A–C , 2–3 ).

Type:— TURKEY. Mardin: 8 km from Mardin to Mazıdağı, Akresta Pass , steppe, limestone, 1075 m, 37°23’14”N, 040°39’14”E, 27 May 2016, A. A. Dönmez 19755 (holotype HUB!; isotypes: E!, EGE!, HUB!). Paratype: TURKEY. Mardin: 8 km from Mardin to Mazıdağı, Akresta Pass, steppe, limestone, 1150 m, 37°23’14”N, 040°39’14”E, 29 June 2002, A. A. Dönmez 10948 ( HUB!) .

Diagnosis: — Polygala azizsancarii is similar to P. kurdica , but it differs from the latter by its shorter stem, obovate basal leaves, lanceolate stem leaves with acute apex, smaller bracts, and glabrous margin of anterior sepals; it also differs from P. supina by its shorter stem, lanceolate stem leaves with acute apex, lanceolate lower two anterior sepals, and glabrous margin of anterior sepals.

Description: —Chasmophytic, caespitose with robust taproot, 2–5 cm tall. Stems with many simple branches arising from base, rarely with turions, herbaceous, terete, together with leaves antrorse or crisped puberulous throughout. Leaves alternate; lower leaves sessile, obovate to spatulate, 3–6 × 2–3 mm, leathery, apex obtuse to rounded, stem leaves, sessile to minutely petiolate, oblong to narrowly elliptic, acute, 5–8 (–12) × 2–3 mm, carinate, margin entire. Inflorescence terminal, racemose; raceme 10–20 × 10–12 mm, lax, with 3 to 5 flowers; bracts deciduous with distinct scar, leaf-like, carinate, 1.8–2.2 × 0.2–0.3 mm, margin scarious; bracteoles in 1 pair, deciduos, scarious, lanceolate, carinate, 1–1.2 × 0.1–0.2 mm, glabrous, apex acute. Pedicel 2–2.3 mm, puberulous. Flower pale violet, 6–8 × 4–5 mm, glabrous. Sepals 5, persistent, glabrous; anterior (outer) sepals equal, lanceolate, 2.2–2.6 × 0.6–0.8 mm, apex acute; posterior (inner) sepal lanceolate, scarcely gibbous, 2.3–2.6 × 0.8–1.1 mm, apex acute; wing sepals petaloid, ovate-lanceolate, 6–8.5 × 2–4 mm, longer than fruit (incl. wings), pilose, veins not anastomosing, apex acute. Corolla 6–8 mm, shorter than wing sepals; Upper petals 1.9–2.2 × 1–1.1 mm, apex obtuse; keel 3.5–4 mm long, concave, crest densely fringed. Stamens 8, concealed by 2 concave part of anterior petal; filaments fused almost throughout their length; filament sheath glabrous, adnate to middle of corolla; anthers distinctly stipitate, 0.3–0.4 mm, opening by a pore at apex. Ovary oblong, 1–1.2 × 0.4–0.6 mm; style c. 2.5 mm; stigma trilobed, capitate. Fruit subsessile, obovate, 5–5.5 × 3–3.5 mm (excluding wing), bilocular, asymmetrical winged; wing 0.8–1 mm wide; style c. 0.1 mm. Seeds 2–2.5 × 1–1.2 mm, oblong, densely covered with sericeous stiff hairs; caruncle laterally elongate, 0.5 mm long, appendages absent.

Eponymy: — Polygala azizsancarii is named in honour of Aziz Sancar, who is the Nobel Laurate in Chemistry 2015. Type specimens of the species were collected from Mardin, where Prof. Sancar was born and also where he attended primary and high school education.

Phenology: —Flowering in May and fruiting in July.

Distribution and ecology: —The currently known population of P. azizsancarii is located at the Akresta Pass. The first collection was made along the eastern left slopes of the pass. During the recentmost fieldwork, both sides of the pass have been examined and the second gathering was achieved in right slopes of the pass. Limestone is the predominate rock in the known distribution area of the species. Vegetation cover of the region is predominantly drought adapted herbaceous plants and lower shrubs. Due to anthropogenic factors, the forest of the area has been almost completely cleared and small bushes of Quercus brantii Lindley (1840: 41) , Crataegus azarolus Linnaeus (1753: 477) var. aronia Linnaeus (1753: 477) and Rhamnus petiolaris Boissier & Balansa (in Boissier 1856: 75) are found individually or in small groups. Cushion formed individuals of Acantholimon acerosum ( Willdenow 1801: 420) Boissier (1846: 80) var. acerosum , Globularia orientalis Linnaeus (1753: 97) , Galium rivale Grisebach (1844: 156) and Galium verum Linnaeus (1753: 107) subsp. verum are common in the area. Individuals of Scorzonera cana ( Meyer 1831: 62) Grossheim (1927: 247) , Lathyrus sativus Linnaeus (1753: 730) , Ziziphora tenuior Linnaeus (1753: 21) , Aegilops triuncialis Linnaeus (1753: 1051) subsp. triuncialis are also common in the area. Polygala azizsancarii is a clearly Irano-Turanian element according to the currently known distribution pattern, and it is known only from the type locality in the Akresta Pass near Mardin (SE Turkey). It occurs on limestone and dry steppes at altitudes of 1050–1200 m.

Conservation status: —According to IUCN (2016) criteria, Polygala azizsancarii should be labelled as “Critically Endangered”, CR ab(iii,v) 2ab(iii,v). The area of occupancy is estimated to be less than 10 km 2 and the examined specimens are known only from two highway-divided locations. Furthermore, the location is close to human settlement and under threats of urbanization, establishing a pistachio orchard, and is thereby at risk of various harmful activities causing habitat damage or destruction.

Additional specimens examined:— Polygala supina : TURKEY. Zonguldak, Eğerci, Aksu Village , 41°04’51.2”N, 031°45’2.9”E, 2 June 2013, A. A. Dönmez 8978 ( HUB!) ; Kırklareli, Istranca Mountain , on road, 700 m, 20 June 1999, A. A. Dönmez 7055 - B. Mutlu ( HUB!) ; Bolu: Gölcük, Sünnet Lake , 13 July 2009, A. A Dönmez 15917 ( HUB!). Polygala kurdica : IRAQ. ‘ Kurdish Hills’ (locality not specified), Mrs. A. Low 323 ( BM [photo!], MSU) ; northern slopes of Qopi Qaradagh, Hadac et al. 5189 ( PR) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Polygala azizsancarii (from A.A. Dönmez 19755). A) Habitat; B) Partly dissected flower; C) Stem leaf; D) Wing sepal; E) Sepals and fruit; F) Fruit, G) Petal, stamens and crest; H) Stamens; I) Seed; J) Aziz Sancar in siluet from Historical Mardin settlement. Scale bars:A = 1 cm; B, D–I = 1 mm; C= 2 mm. Drawing by G. Zare.

FIGURE 2. Polygala azizsancarii (from holotype: Mardin, 27 May 2016, A.A. Dönmez 19755). A) Habitat and habit; B) Sepals; C) Flower and crest. Photos by A.A. Dönmez.

FIGURE 3. SEM micrographs of fruit and seed (from A.A. Dönmez 19755). A) General view of fruit; B) Stoma on wing; C) General view of seed; D) Detail of seed surface.