Bolanthus cherlerioides (Bornm.) Barkoudah, Wentia

Yildizbaş, Avni & Koç, Murat, 2025, The taxonomic revision of genus Bolanthus (Caryophyllaceae) in Türkiye, Phytotaxa 696 (1), pp. 28-54 : 36-37

Bolanthus cherlerioides (Bornm.) Barkoudah, Wentia 9: 170 (1962) ≡ Gypsophila cherlerioides Bornm., Mitt. Bot.

Ges. 23: 2 (1908)

Lectotype (designated by YıldızbaŞ & Koç 2018: 199): — [ Turkey B3 Konya] Sultandagh, in jugis alpinis supra AkŞehir , 1600–1800 m, 21 June 1899, Bornmüller 4399 ( E00135537 , photo!; isolectotype G00418268 , photo!).

Description ( Figs. 3–5 ): — Perennial herbs. Stems dense compact cushions, ascending-erect, 50–300, 1–3 cm, base 0.5–0.7 mm diameter, compact branched, complately glandular hairs, nodes 3–5, internodes 0–1 mm, dense imbricate. Leaves setaceous, 3–4.5 × 0.3–0.5 mm, glandular hairs, prominent 3—nerved, greenish, rotundate; terminal acute; sheats membranous, 0.3–0.5 mm, glandular hairs. Inflorescence in apex, glandular hairs; flowers sessile, 1—flowers. Bracts setaceous, 3–4.5 × 0.3–0.5 mm, almost as much as inflorescence, glandular hairs; margin membranous, ciliate, ciliates 0.1–0.15 mm; terminal acute. Not pedicellate. Calyx tubulate, dense glandular hairs, 4–6 × 1.2–1.4 mm; calyx teeth narrowly triangular, 1.5–2.3 mm tall, margins ciliate, terminal acute. Petals oblanceolate, 4–7 × 0.8–1.2 mm, almost up to sepals, limb pink, petal nerves dark pink; terminal acute; base cuneate. Stamens 10, filament 3–4 mm tall. Styles 2, 4–6 mm tall. Capsule oblong, 3.5–5.5 × 1–1.5 mm, 2–4-seeded, usually as much as sepals. Seeds comma shaped 0.8–0.9 × 0.6–0.8 mm, black, side and ridge surface tuberculate, granular.

Phenology: July–August, 1550–2635 m, limestone places.

General Distribution: Endemic. East Mediterranean and Irano–Turanian element.

Distribution for Türkiye ( Fig. 5 ): Central Anatolia and Mediterranea region.

Notes:— The taxon was firstly defined with the name Gypsophila cherlerioides by Bornmüller in 1908 ( Bornmüller 1908). Later on, it was transferred to the Genus Bolanthus by Barkoudah in 1962 ( Barkoudah 1962). The taxon differed from the other taxa in terms of being densely tufted, forming imbricate leaves(no visible internodes), being single flowered and having petals and sepals with similar sizes. It was stated that the holotype specimen of the taxon had been kept in the B herbarium before it was damaged ( Huber-Morath 1967). Therefore the isotype specimen kept in the E herbarium was selected as lectotype (YıldızbaŞ & Koç 2018). Also it has been recommended to be placed in the VU B1-a category ( IUCN 2017).

In recent years, a plant spreading in the Mersin Sertavulus Pass, Bolanthus sertavulus Özçelik , has been described by Özçelik (2024). This new species shares many similarities with B. cherlerioides but differs in several features. It is characterized by its dense, erect, and long glandular hairs on above-ground parts, a shorter and thicker stem (1–2 cm), shorter and stiffer leaves, and a height of 5–10 cm. Therefore, although this study recognizes it as a potentially new species, definitive separation from B. cherlerioides or acceptance as a synonym needs genetic analysis and detailed ecological studies.

Specimens examined: — TÜRKİYE. B3 Afyon: Çay, Sultandağları, Gelincikana hill south, 2000 m, 30 July 1976, Dökmeci (ISTE-35677); Konya: Sultandağları, Çakıllar tops, Sarıpınar location, 1800 m, 15 July 1980, Çakırer (ISTE-45488); Konya: AkŞehir, Sultandağları, Tekke tops, Karagür basin, around Hanoğlu stream, 1950 m, 28 September 1976, Dökmeci, (ISTE-35997); Konya: Sultandağları, Cankurtaran tops, 1900 m, 29 September 1976, Dökmeci (ISTE-36068); Konya: AkŞehir, Sultandağı Örkenez gate, 1600 m, Seçmen (EGE-32509); Konya: AkŞehir, Şarkikaraağaç exit, 09 July 1989, Erik 4048, Sümbül & Venter (HUB-03413); Konya: Sultan mountains, Doğanhisar, west of Fırınlı village, Gökgedik hill, 1850 m, 26 June 1978, Ocakverdi (KNYA); Konya: between AkŞehir and Gelendost, 1570 m, 15 June 2009, Koç 217, Hamzaoğlu & Budak (Bozok Univ. Herb.); Konya: between AkŞehir and Şarkikaraağaç, around Yellibel gate, massive slopes, 1550 m, 14 July 2011, Hamzaoğlu 6136 & Koç, (Bozok Univ. Herb.); C3 Isparta: Davras mountain, [Ascent from the Kır Yayla], N–facing cirque and summit region above the yayla i.e. the main ridge beetween the OğlaktaŞı hill and Ulparçukur hill [= main summit, 2635 m] –Lat. 37˚45ˈ77”N, long. 030˚44ˈ 64”E [cirque]; alt. c. 2000–2550 m, Limestone and dolomite, 2100 m, 28 June 2000, Eren & Parolly (ISTE-100796).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Bolanthus cherlerioides (Hamzaoğlu 6136 & Koç).A—habit, B—inflorescence, C—flower, D—petal, E—capsule.

FIGURE 5. Distribution of taxa Bolanthus minuartioides (▲), B. spergulifolius (D) and B. cherlerioides (●) in Türkiye.