Cephalaria suleyman-uysalii A.Duran & Dündar, 2025

Duran, Ahmet & Dündar, Ekrem, 2025, Cephalaria suleyman-uysalii (Caprifoliaceae), a new species from South Anatolia (Turkey), Phytotaxa 691 (1), pp. 19-33 : 22-28

Cephalaria suleyman-uysalii A.Duran & Dündar sp. nova ( Figs. 1–2 , 4–8 ).

Type:— TURKEY. C 3 Antalya: Akseki, Pınarbaşı, above Çataloluk vicinity, 16 August 2024, 36.9055N, 31.9046E, 1630 m a.s.l., open Cedrus-Abies forest and limestone slopes, A.Duran & S.Uysal 11006 (holotype: HUB, isotypes: ANK, GAZI).

Diagnosis: Cephalaria suleyman-uysalii is related to C. elazigensis (including var. elazigensis and var. purpurea ). It mainly differs from C. elazigensis in caespitose habit (not non-caespitose habit); stems 25–60 cm tall, old dead stems and new shoots together, branched only at the upper parts, entirely densely with stellate hairs (not up to 100 cm tall, only new season shoots, branched only at the lower parts or simple, glabrous in upper parts); leaf margins entire (not serrate or entire); leaf apices obtuse to subacute (not subpungent); leaves narrowly oblong-oblanceolate (not lanceolate); peduncles 0.5–5 cm long, 1‒3-capitula (not 5‒25 cm, 1-capitula); capitula cup-shaped (not ovoid or ovoid-subglobose); apex of receptacular bracts acuminate to caudate (not mucronate); corolla white (not purple or yellow); anthers pink (not purple). C. suleyman-uysalii is morphologically similar to C. elmaliensis . It differs from C. elmaliensis because it has leaves simple, margins entire (not lyrate and simple, margin crenate-serrate or entire); peduncles 0.5–5 cm long, 1‒3-capitula (not 5‒30 cm long, 1-capitula); capitula cup-shaped, 7‒11 mm ø in fruit (not subglobose, 10–23 mm ø in fruit); anthers pink (not yellowish).

Description: Caespitose suffrutescent perennial. Stems 25‒60 cm tall, slender, erect, terete, smooth or weakly striate, old dead stems and new shoots together, entirely covered with hair, densely and minutely stellate hairs, shortly branched at the upper parts with 3‒11 capitula. Leaves coriaceous, simple, margins entire and slightly revolute, opposite, densely and minutely stellate hairs in both surfaces, light green to grayish blades symmetrical, obtuse to subacute at apex, decreasing size towards inflorescence; basal leaves narrowly oblong-oblanceolate in outline, clearly petiolate, 9‒18 x 0.7‒1.8 cm (incl. petiole), gradually attenuating towards the base; lower cauline leaves similar to basal leaves; middle cauline leaves oblanceolate, attenuate into a short petiole. Upper cauline leaves linear-lanceolate, sessile. Inflorescence monochasial or dichasial-like branching. Peduncles 0.5–5(‒6) cm long, densely stellate hairs, 1‒3 capitula. Capitula cup-shaped, 11‒15-flowered, 10–17 x 7–13 mm in flower, 10‒15 x 7‒11 mm in fruit. Involucral bracts in 1–2 series, broadly ovate-lanceolate, 4.5‒7 x 3.5‒5 mm, straw colored in dorsal, adpressed pilose outside, margins entire or sparsely ciliate, acute at apex; receptacular bracts ovate to narrowly oblong, 7‒11 x 2‒5 mm, acuminate to caudate at apex, straw-coloured at base and middle part, purple-brownish to blackish at upper part and apex, sparsely adpressed pilose below and densely adpressed pilose above, margins usually ciliate. Calyx cupuliform, 2–3 mm in diameter, with irregular teeth 0.5‒1.5 mm long, pubescent. Corolla 8–10 mm long, white and when dry pale yellowish, densely covered by adpressed hairs in outside. Stamens clearly longer than corolla; anthers distinctly pink. Involucels 4-angled, 9‒11 mm in fruit, light brown, subadpressed pilose, 4 long and 4 short teeth at apex; long teeth 3‒4 mm long, short teeth 1‒1.5 mm long.

Paratypes: — TURKEY. C3 Antalya: Akseki-Gündoğmuş border, between Salamut-Kızılkuyu Yayla, near Kızılkuyu, 19 August 2024, 36.8967N, 31.9668E, 1930 m a.s.l., forest-steppe ecotone zone and steppe, A.Duran & S.Uysal 11005 (HUB, ANK).

Eponymy:—This new species is named in honour of Süleyman Uysal, a teacher and nature protection volunteer. The Turkish name of the new species was suggested as “efe pelemiri” ( Menemen et al. 2016).

Phenology: —Flowering in July; fruiting in August.

Distribution and ecology: —Palaeopalynological data show that Anatolia had a dense forest vegetation cover in the last interglacial period. The topography of Turkey has changed many times since then, which resulted in different microclimates in the tectonic valleys ( Gemici 1993). The Taurus Mountains are a botanically interesting area located in the Mediterranean region and are very rich in local endemic plants ( Duran et al. 2005). Cephalaria suleyman-uysalii is a narrow endemic, confined to Akseki and Gündoğmuş districts (Antalya province) in South Anatolia, Turkey ( Fig. 10 ). It belongs to the East Mediterranean phytogeographic region ( Fig. 10 ). Cephalaria suleyman-uysalii grows in open Cedrus libani A.Rich. and Abies cilicica (Antoine & Kotschy) Carrière mixed forests, or Cedrus libani forest-steppe transition zones and on calcareous mountain steppes with such species as Marrubium globosum Montbret & Aucher ex Benth. , Euphorbia kotschyana Fenzl , Astragalus creticus Lam. , Juniperus foetidissima Willd. , Berberis crataegina DC. and Daphne oleoides Schreb ( Fig. 8 ).

IUCN red list category:— Cephalaria suleyman-uysalii is distributed in the west Taurus mountains within the borders of Akseki and Gündoğmuş districts where it seems to be rare and local, and it is currently known only from two sites. Its area of occupancy is smaller than 3 km 2. Continuing decline is projected in the light of possible reduction of area of occupancy and number of mature individuals due to the area of occupancy has been subjected to systematic anthropogenic activities such as transhumance, construction of new roadways and overgrazing pressure (Criteria B1, B2). The population of the new species is very limited, and adverse effects in area of occupancy are leading to the reduction in the number of individuals. The current estimated number of flowering individuals in population is less than 130. Because of all these factors, the species should be considered Critically Endangered (CR) according to the IUCN (2024) Red List Criteria: Critically Endangered B1ab(ii,v)+2ab(ii,v). This category is often used for new described species from different continents and different taxonomic plant groups ( Wagensommer & Venanzoni 2021, Zavatin et al. 2023). However, as for other newly described taxa with an almost punctiform or very limited distribution, provisionally assessed as CR, it will be necessary collecting further data on distribution, population size, and threats, to a correct assessment of the IUCN category and to define the appropriate strategies for the long-term conservation of the new species.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Cephalaria suleyman-uysalii exhibits caespitose forms growing in various habitats; A—forest-steppe transition zones, B— open forests, C–D—steppes.

FIGURE 2. Cephalaria suleyman-uysalii: A–D—it exhibits a suffrutescent perennial life form, E—the tips of its leaves are usually obtuse.

FIGURE 4. Representative specimen of Cephalaria suleyman-uysalii (holotype).

FIGURE 5. Cephalaria suleyman-uysalii: A–C—inflorescence monochasial-like branching, D–F—inflorescence dichasial-like branching.

FIGURE 6. Cephalaria suleyman-uysalii: A–C—white corolla and pink anthers, D—young capitula and partially mature anthers, E— fruiting capitulum, F–G—dorsal view of the fruiting capitula, H—young involucel, I—mature involucel.

FIGURE 7. Cephalaria suleyman-uysalii: A–B—involucral bracts, C–I—receptacular bracts arranged from the outside to the inside, J–L—involucels with caylx, M–N—calyx.

FIGURE 8. Cephalaria suleyman-uysalii: A–B—the new species grows in steppe areas, C—in the Cedrus libani forest-steppe transition zone, D—in open Cedrus libani-Abies cilicica mixed forests.

FIGURE 10. Distribution map of Cephalaria suleyman-uysalii (z), C. elmaliensis(▲) and C. elazigensis („).