Bolanthus turcicus (Caryophyllaceae), a new species from Turkey

Abstract A new species Bolanthus turcicus Koç & Hamzaoğlu, sp. nov. was discovered on Hasan Mountain (Turkey, Aksaray province) where it grows on volcanic stony slopes and alpine steppe. its description, images, chorology and ecology, and threat category are provided in this article. It was compared with a closely related species, Bolanthus minuartioides (Jaub. & Spach) Hub.-Mor., Bolanthus huber-morathii C.Simon, Bolanthus spergulifolius (Jaub. & Spach) Hub.-Mor., Bolanthus frankenioides (Boiss) Bark., Bolanthus mevlanae Aytaç based on its general morphology and seed micromorphology.


Introduction
Bolanthus (Ser.) Reichb., in the family Caryophyllaceae, is one of the smallest genera of the family. Th is genus resembles especially the species of Gypsophila L. and Acanthophyllum C.A.Mey by its physical appearance. Nevertheless, it diff ers from Gypsophila in that Bolanthus are calyx tubular and do not include druses. Besides, it is diff erent from the species of Acanthophyllum as its fruit is 8-28-seeded, dehiscing by valves or teeth, leaves, bracts, and calyx never spiny, stamens included calyx. In addition, Bolanthus basically spreads across the Meditarranean Region, while Acanthophyllum is an Irano-Turanian genus (Bittrich 1993, Huber-Morath 1967, Huber-Morath et al. 1968, Davis et al. 1988. Bolanthus consists of approximately 15 species and is mainly distributed in Greece, Palestine and Turkey (Bittrich 1993, Huber-Morath 1967, Davis et al. 1988. Bolanthus includes six species one of which is represented by 2 varieties in Flora of Turkey (Huber-Morath 1967, Huber-Morath et al. 1968). Bolanthus is represented by 8 species in Flora Europaea (Barkoudah and Akeroyd 1993), 1 species in Flora Palaestina (Zohary 1966). As a result of recent studies, 2 species (B. huber-morathii C.Simon, B. mevlanae Aytaç) and 1 subspecies (B. creutzburgii Greuter subsp. zaff ranii Phitos, Turland & Bergmeier) have been added to this genus (Aytaç and Duman 2004, Özhatay et al. 2009, Phitos et al. 2011). As a result; the total taxa number of this genus has been increased to 20. Anatolia is a prominent centre for Bolanthus and 8 species grow in Turkey.

Materials and methods
We came across some interesting Bolanthus specimens while conducting fi eld work on the Hasan Mountain above Karkın town (Turkey, Aksaray province), as two authors actually having the goal of fi nding the Minuartia L. and Dianthus L.. Th ese specimens were compared with related species in the herbarium of Biology Department of Bozok University, GAZI, K and with records in the literature (Barkoudah and Akeroyd 1993, Zohary 1966, Huber-Morath 1967, Huber-Morath et al. 1968, Davis et al. 1988, Bojňanský and Fargašová 2007. Th e images were taken using the Canon EOS 60D digital camera, and the seed surface micromorphology was visualized using the LEO 440 scanning electron microscope. Normal visualization of the specimens was carried out using the Olympus SZ61 microscope. Th e vegetative characters were measured using a ruler with 0.5-mm accuracy and the fl oral characters were determined using an ocular micrometer. It diff ers from the related taxa mainly by having it has leaves 3-veined (not 1-vained), linear (not subulate); calyx 3.5-4.5 mm long (not 4.5-5.5 mm long); petals 3.3-4.5 mm long and as long as calyx (not 5.5-6.5 mm long and 1.5 times longer than calyx). Type. TURKEY, Aksaray province, Hasan Mountain above Karkın town, Hamzaoğlu 7110 and Koç (holo GAZI, iso GAZI, ANK, Dept of Bozok Univ., Herbarium of Biology), 1950 m, volcanic stony slopes and alpine steppe, 18 June 2014.

Conservation status.
Bolanthus turcicus is an endemic species known only from the type gathered in the Hasan Mountain (Aksaray province). Informal grazing and land-use changes could have a detrimental impact in the future. For this reason this species should be classifi ed as "Critically Endangered" (CR-B1a) according to the World Conservation Union categories (IUCN 2014).

Results
Th e specimens introduced as the new species in this study were collected from Aksaray province, Hasan Mountain above Karkın town. All the 20 taxa, which spreads across the world as well, exist in the Meditarranean Region; however, this taxon exists in the Irano-Turanian phytogeographic region. Firstly collected specimens resemble Bolanthus spergulifolius and Bolanthus huber-morathii at fi rst glance. Yet, comprehensive studies that were subsequently carried out revealed that they belonged to a new species.

Distinction from other taxa
Bolanthus is represented by 8 species in the fl ora in Turkey. Th ree species (B. cherlerioides (Bornm.) Bark., B. thymoides Hub.-Mor., B. stenopetalus Hartving & Strid) among them diff ers from the others as these three have tight cushion-shaped, leaves that have intensive imbricates and their internodes are scarcely visible. Th erefore, Bolanthus turcicus is similar to the other 5 species (B. minuartioides, B. huber-morathii, B. spergulifolius, B. frankenioides, B. mevlanae) as it branches loosely, its leaves do not imbricate and the gaps between the internodes are wide. Each of these species has its own character by its pedal color, shape of leaves and pubescence. According to the examined specimens and the Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Bolanthus turcicus diff ers from the species of B. frankenioides and B. mevlanae with its loose branching, wide distance internodes, shapes and vein number of leaves, length of petal and ratio of petal-calyx. Th e increases in diff erences suspend it from these taxa while approximating to Bolanthus minuartioides, B. spergulifolius, B. huber-morathii. However, B. huber-morathii is a distinctive species, whose its glabrous stems, shape of leaves, rate of bracts to calyx and loose infl orescence,. On the other hand, B. minuartioides is a distinctive one as well with its petal colour, length of calyx-teeth and infl orescence shape. Th us Bolanthus turcicus resembles B. spergulifolius with its stems hairy, length of leaves, rate of bracts-calyx, type of infl orescence and color of petal. Despite these similarities, there are several distinctive diff erences between B. turcicus and B. spergulifolius in terms of leaves vein number, shape of leaves, rate of bractscalyx, length of calyx, length of petal, rate of petal-calyx. A key-hart showing the discrimination between the related sprecies and tale showing the characteristics of the species are provided below. (Table 1, Figure 1).