ORNITHOGALUM BEYAZOGLUI (HYACINTHACEAE), A NEW SPECIES FROM WEST ANATOLIA, TURKEY

Ornithogalum beyazoglui Y.Bağcı, Savran & O. D. Düşen sp. nov. (Hyacinthaceae), a new species is described and illustrated from İzmir, Ödemiş, Bozdağ (İzmir, Ödemiş province). Diagnostic morphological characters are discussed, including SEM examination of seed coat surface. Data are also presented on ecology, biogeography and conservation status of the new species. Introduction The genus Ornithogalum L. (Hyacinthaceae) consist of about 160 species (Manning et al., 2009) and distributed in South Africa and around the Mediterranean basin, with many species of horticultural importance (Zahariad, 1980; Cullen, 1984; Heywood, 1993). Anatolia is an important distribution area for Ornithogalum in Asia. Since Ornithogalum was revised by Cullen (1984) for the Flora of Turkey, thirty one new taxa or new records have been described from Turkey (Davis et al., 1988; Özhatay, 2000; Düşen and Sümbül, 2002, 2003; Düşen and Deniz, 2005; Uysal et al., 2005; Özhatay and Kültür, 2006; Bağcı et al., 2009; Özhatay et al., 2009; Yıldırımlı, 2009; Koca and Yıldırımlı, 2010). During a recent botanical expedition to Izmir in 2009, the authors collected some specimens of Ornithogalum which after critical examination were identified as new species Ornithogalum beyazoglui Y. Bağcı, Savran & O. D. Düşen. Materials and Methods In May of 2009, during an expedition to the Bozdağ (Ödemiş, İzmir) in the frame of the project “A Morphological, Karyological and Molecular Phylogenetic Revision of Rorippa Scop. (Brassicaceae) species in Turkey”, the authors collected some interesting Ornithogalum specimens. Further studies evidenced that they were not referable to any known taxon of the genus, and therefore a new species is here described. A grid system was adapted for the division of the area of Turkey for the citation of specimens. This system divided Turkey into twenty-nine squares (Davis, 1965). According to this grid system, the new species growing in İzmir province falls within the A1 square. *Corresponding author. Email: ybagci66@gmail.com Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Art, Niğde University, Niğde 51100, Turkey. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Art, Pamukkale University, Denizli 20100, Turkey.


Introduction
The genus Ornithogalum L. (Hyacinthaceae) consist of about 160 species (Manning et al., 2009) and distributed in South Africa and around the Mediterranean basin, with many species of horticultural importance (Zahariad, 1980;Cullen, 1984;Heywood, 1993).Anatolia is an important distribution area for Ornithogalum in Asia.

Materials and Methods
In May of 2009, during an expedition to the Bozdağ (Ödemiş, İzmir) in the frame of the project "A Morphological, Karyological and Molecular Phylogenetic Revision of Rorippa Scop.(Brassicaceae) species in Turkey", the authors collected some interesting Ornithogalum specimens.Further studies evidenced that they were not referable to any known taxon of the genus, and therefore a new species is here described.
A grid system was adapted for the division of the area of Turkey for the citation of specimens.This system divided Turkey into twenty-nine squares (Davis, 1965).According to this grid system, the new species growing in İzmir province falls within the A1 square.

Ornithogalum beyazoglui
Etymology: This species is named in honour of the Turkish Botanist, Professor Dr. Osman Beyazoğlu (Department of Biology, Karadeniz Technical University).
Distribution and Ecology: Ornithogalum beyazoglui is a Turkish endemic species, restricted to the Bozdağ, Ödemiş-İzmir, West Anatolia, and an Irano-Turanian element.It grows on high mountain steppe and damp pastureland.Its altitudinal range is 1750-1900 m.The new species is associated with Ornithogalum nutans, Centaurea sp., Rumex sp., and Euphorbia sp.Conservational status: The specimens were collected in A1 İzmir (Ödemiş) where the species seems to be very rare and local (Fig 2).It is known only from the type locality.The range of this local endemic species is restricted to a single location (IUCN criterion B1a).The populations seem to be small and scattered on the mountain slopes where excessive grazing, erosion and human effects are threatening the species.Populations are pure, with an area of occupancy smaller than 10 km², and according to field observations, it is estimated that the total number of individuals of these endemic species does not exceed 70-80 in its single locality (criteria B2a and C).Therefore we suggest that Ornithogalum beyazoglui should be labelled as Critically Endangered (CR), according to the IUCN (2001) red list categories.