Allium ekimianum Eksi , Koyuncu & Oezkan, 2016

Eksi, Guelnur, Koyuncu, Mehmet & Oezkan, Ayse Mine Gencler, 2016, Allium ekimianum: a new species (Amaryllidaceae) from Turkey, PhytoKeys 62, pp. 83-93 : 85-88

Allium ekimianum Eksi, Koyuncu & Oezkan sp. nov. Figure 2

Note.

Diagnostic characters for Allium ekimianum include curved stem, smooth pedicels, united bracteoles, verrucose-scabrid and straight outer tepal, smooth inner tepal, longer inner tepal.

Type.

Turkey. Elazığ: Fırat University, steppe, c. 1150 m, 02.07.1983, Koyuncu 7847 (holotype: AEF!, isotype: GAZI!).

Description.

Bulb ovoid, 0.7-1.2 × 1-1.5 cm; outer tunics membranous, brownish, ± breaking into parallel fibres; inner tunics white; bulblets absent. Stem 15-35 cm, curved, often purplish below. Leaves 2-3, linear, 1-2 mm broad, flat, shorter than scape, sheathing lower ½ of stem. Umbel globose-subglobose, 1.5-3 cm diameter, dense, 20-60 flowered. Spathe caducous. Pedicels smooth, unequal, not elongating in fruit; up to 2.5 × perigon; bracteoles present, united at the base of outer pedicels, splitting into several lobes at apex, c. 5 mm. Perigon ovoid, campanulate; tepals purple, pale pink; outer tepals straigth, 5 × c. 3.5 mm, obovoid, verrucose-scabrid, acute-subacute, obtus at apex; inner tepals c. 4 × 2 mm, narrowly oblong, smooth, obtus at apex. Stamens included; filaments ciliate at base; inner flaments 4 × 2 mm; median cusps c. 1 mm, slightly shorter than lateral cusps (c. 1.5 mm); basal lamina c. 3 mm, 3 times longer than median cusps. Anther 1 mm, yellow. Pistil c. 3-5 mm; style c. 1-2 mm; ovary c. 2-3 × 1.5-2 mm, ovoid, smooth. Capsule 4 × 3.5 mm, ovoid; valves emarginate-bilobate at apex; seed 3 × 1.5 mm, black.

Etymology.

The species is named in honor of the eminent Turkish botanist Prof. Dr. Tuna Ekim, who dedicated his life to Turkish Flora, was retired from İstanbul University.

Distribution and ecology.

The distribution of Allium ekimianum is restricted to Province of Elazığ from East Anatolia, where it grows on steppe between 1100- 1200 m of elevation. Species associated with Allium ekimianum include Campanula stricta L., Silene italica (L.) Pers., Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcker, Euphorbia macroclada Boiss., Papaver rhoeas L., Crataegus monogyna Jaq., Rosa canina L., Rosa x dumalis Bechst., Potentilla erecta L., Sanguisorba minor Scop., Achillea millefolium L., Allium scorodoprasum L., Vicia cracca L., Crepis foetida L., Eryngium campestre L., Salvia verticillata L., Avena sterilis L. Elazığ is located on the east of Anatolian diagonal, in the skirts of South-Eastern Taurus Mountains ( Çakılcıoğlu et al. 2008), in the Upper Euphrates Region of the Eastern Anatolia Region ( Şengün 2007). Elazığ belongs to the Irano-Turanian Plant Geography Region and falls within the B7 grid square ( Davis 1965). The Irano-Turanian Region is confined to Central and East Anatolia. This great region of steppe, mountain steppe and semi-desert is also characterized by the existence of a hypothetical oblique line that runs from Bayburt-Gümüşhane southwestwardly to Anti-Taurus where it bifurcates with one prong leading to the Amanus and the other to the Cilician Taurus. This line is called "Anatolian Diagonal" (Figure 1 ). The flora of central Anatolia as the western side of the Diagonal is floristically different from the rest of the Irano-Turanian region to the east. According to the plant distribution patterns in eastern Anatolia, many endemics are restricted to part of the Diagonal belt, or extend right along it ( Davis 1965, Davis 1971).

IUCN Conservation Assessment and Justification.

Following the criteria established by IUCN ( IUCN 2003), an initial provisional assessment of Critically Endangered (CR) (criteria B2a + B2biii) is suggested for this new taxon. This species occurs only in Elazığ University campus area in Elazığ province (East Anatolia) at 1100-1200 m. The area is under subversive people activities such as new constructions of buildings. As a result, the habitat of Allium ekimianum is highly threatened of vanishing by people activities. The area of Allium ekimianum occupancy (AOO) is less than 10 km2 with the number of mature individuals which is under reduction and being less than 50.

Related species.

Allium ekimianum is closely related to Allium asperiflorum and Allium sintenisii and Allium erzincanicum . All four species share traits of ovoid bulb, globose to subglobose umbel, campanulate to ovoid perigon, rough outer tepal surfaces, stamens sorter than perigon, ovoid ovary. Allium ekimianum differs from Allium asperiflorum , Allium sintenisii and Allium erzincanicum in its outer tunics, stem, leaves, bracteoles, pedicel surface, outer tepal, and inner tepal characters. The three species are compared in Table 1 and these traits are illustrated in Figures 2 - 4 .

Figures

Figure 1. Distribution map of Allium ekimianum, Allium asperiflorum, Allium sintenisii, Allium erzincanicum.

Figure 2. Allium ekimianum (Koyuncu 7847 / Elazig). Plant (A, B), flower (C), flower longitudinal section (D), inner tepal (D 1, D 2), outer tepal (D 3, D 4), pistil (E), capsule (F), seed (G), leaf sheathing (H), leaf cross section (I). (Drawn by Guelnur Eksi).

Figure 4. Allium sintenisii (Koyuncu 9692 / Kahramanmaras). Plant (A 1, A 2), flower (B), flower longitudinal section (C), inner tepal (C 1, C 2), outer tepal (C 3, C 4), pistil (D), capsule (E), seed (F), bulblet (G), leaf sheathing (H), leaf surface (I). (Drawn by Guelnur Eksi).