Saturday, September 3, 2022

[Botany • 2022] Campanula dersimensis (Campanulaceae: Campanuleae) • A New Bellflower from E Anatolia, Turkey


Campanula dersimensis Fırat & Yıldırım,

in Fırat, Özüdoğru & Yıldırım, 2022. 

Abstract
Campanula dersimensis Fırat & Yıldırım, a new species endemic to the E Anatolian region of Turkey, is described and illustrated. It is currently known from two localities in Tunceli province (Dersim). Campanula dersimensis shows similarities to C. quercetorum Hub.-Mor. & C. Simon and C. yildirimlii Kit Tan & Sorger. A close relationship of the three taxa is also supported by phylogenetic analyses based on the nuclear-encoded ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Diagnostic morphological characters are discussed and compared with those of closely related taxa. Campanula dersimensis is easily distinguished from related species, especially by its retrorsely hairy stem and leaf surface, to 1 mm long calyx appendages and glabrous and light greenish yellow to yellowish white corollas.

A–C: Campanula dersimensis; A: habit; B: inflorescence; C: flower; Turkey, Tunceli, 2012.
 D–F: C. quercetorum; D: habit; E: inflorescence; F: flower; Turkey, Tunceli, 2015.
 G–I: C. yildirimlii; G: habit; H: inflorescence; I: flower; Turkey, Erzincan, 2014.
– Photographs: A–C, F by Mehmet Fırat; D, E, G–I by Hasan Yıldırım.


Campanula dersimensis:
 A: habitat; B: habit; C: rosette leaves; D: part of stem, cauline leaf and indumentum; E: part of inflorescence; F: flowers. – Turkey, Tunceli, 2012,
photographs by Mehmet Fırat.

Campanula dersimensis Fırat & Yıldırım, sp. nov.  
 
Diagnosis — Campanula dersimensis is similar to C. quercetorum and C. yildirimlii. It is easily distinguished from them mainly by having stems erect, dark green, unbranched or shortly branched in upper half, retrorsely hirtulous to pubescent-puberulent, rarely subglabrous above; bracts 4–20 mm long, distinctly hairy; calyx lobes pointed backward, linear-lanceolate, retrorsely hispidulous toward apex; calyx appendages present, to 1 mm long; corolla light greenish yellow to yellowish white, mostly glabrous outside; capsule broadly ovoid-cylindric when mature, glabrous, membranous structure between veins breaking down and capsule opening with (9 or)10 valves.
 
Etymology — The specific epithet is derived from Dersim, which is the former name of Tunceli province.


Mehmet Fırat, Barış Özüdoğru and Hasan Yıldırım. 2022. A New Bellflower, Campanula dersimensis (Campanulaceae), from E Anatolia, Turkey. Willdenowia. 52(2)167-177. DOI: 10.3372/wi.52.52202