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| Gagea kotuchovii Kubentayev & Levichev, in Kubentayev, Levichev, Baasanmunkh, Klichowska, Alibekov, Choi et Nobis. 2025. |
Abstract
Gagea kotuchovii (Liliaceae) a new narrow endemic species growing exclusively in the Karatau Mountains in South Kazakhstan, is here described and illustrated. It is a unique species within the section Gagea, differing from closely related taxa by the presence of several stolons of different lengths (0.5–8 cm), formed on a single vegetative individual, as well as a unique bulb with a densely woolly sheath. Morphological characteristics, distribution map, and illustrations of the habit and habitats of the new species are presented. We also present phylogenetic analyses based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of nuclear DNA and SNPs obtained from DArT genome-wide sequencing (Diversity Arrays Technology sequencing), which confirmed the isolated position of G. kotuchovii but also revealed its phylogenetic relation with morphologically similar species. Additionally, our results reveal phylogenetic intergeneric organization of Gagea representatives occurring in Kazakhstan and/or Middle Asia. To facilitate morphological identification of Asian Gagea with stolons, and similar to G. kotuchovii, we present an identification key.
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| Gagea kotuchovii (A) General habit; (B) inflorescence; (C) flower; (D) outer petal of the perianth; (E) inner petal of the perianth (F) perianth petal with a stamen; (G) gynoecium; (H) basal leaf transverse section; (J) peduncle cross-section; (I) stem leaf transverse section; (K) last year’s juvenile bulb; (L) bulb of a vegetative individual with several stolons; (M) vegetative individual (Photo by: S. Kubentayev). |
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| Gagea kotuchovii Habitats (A); General habit of the species (B) (Photo by: S. Kubentayev). |
Gagea kotuchovii Kubentayev et Levichev, sp. nov.
Diagnosis. From all species of the nominal Gagea section, including the most similar G. turkestanica and G. brevistolonifera, the new species is easily distinguished by the presence of a group of stolons of different length on bulbs of vegetative individuals (Fig 3L, 3M), ending in single bulbs, which, after overwintering, are covered with densely woolly growths (Fig 3K).
Distribution. Endemic to the Karatau Mountains in South Kazakhstan. Currently, it is known only from Khantagi (Fig 6).
Etymology. The new species is named in honour of the eminent florist and taxonomist Yuri Andreevich Kotukhov (lat. J.A. Kotuchov), who greatly contributed to the study of the flora of Kazakhstan and surrounding regions.
Serik Kubentayev, Igor Levichev, Shukherdorj Baasanmunkh, Ewelina Klichowska, Daniyar Alibekov, Hyeok Jae Choi, Marcin Nobis. 2025. Gagea kotuchovii (Liliaceae) A New Species from the Karatau Mountains (western Tian Shan, Kazakhstan) evidenced by morphological and molecular analyses. PLoS One. 20(12): e0336223. DOI: doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0336223 [December 5, 2025]
