TAILIEUCHUNG - Asperula anatolica (Rubiaceae), a new species from south-east Anatolia, Turkey

A new species, Asperula anatolica (Rubiaceae), is described from south-east Turkey. A. anatolica grows on limestone bedrock, in Uludere District (C9 Şırnak Province). It is an endemic confined to south-east Anatolia, and it is related to A. comosa in the section Cruciana. | Turkish Journal of Botany Research Article Turk J Bot (2013) 37: 46-54 © TÜBİTAK doi: Asperula anatolica (Rubiaceae), a new species from south-east Anatolia, Turkey Meryem ÖZTÜRK Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Selçuk University, Campus, Konya, Turkey Received: Accepted: Published Online: Printed: Abstract: A new species, Asperula anatolica (Rubiaceae), is described from south-east Turkey. A. anatolica grows on limestone bedrock, in Uludere District (C9 Şırnak Province). It is an endemic confined to south-east Anatolia, and it is related to A. comosa in the section Cruciana. Asperula anatolica is distinct from a closely allied species, A. comosa, by its inflorescence, indumentum, corolla lobes and shape, bracts, bracteoles, internodes, seed coat surface, and pollen grains. Photos of the new species are provided, and observations on the population are discussed. Special attention is also given to its ecology and conservation status. In addition, pollen characteristics and mericarp surface features are examined by scanning electron microscope. The geographical distribution of A. anatolica and other related species are mapped. Key words: Asperula, Rubiaceae, scanning electron microscope, ecology, Turkey 1. Introduction Rubiaceae is the fourth largest family of flowering plants after Asteraceae, Orchidaceae, and Fabaceae. It contains approximately 13,200 species in 620 genera, of which 26 have more than 100 species (Robbrecht et al., 2007). Asperula L. is one of the most important genera of the family Rubiaceae, with 183 species. The total number of Asperula taxa is 230 with subspecies and varieties (Minareci et al., 2010). Ehrendorfer and Schönbeck-Temesy conducted the revision of Asperula in the Flora of Turkey, denoting that the Mediterranean phytogeographical region and southwest Asia are genetic diversification centres of .

• Nông nghiệp
• Asperula anatolica
• Scanning electron microscope
• Limestone bedrock
• Pollen grains
• Seed coat surface