Revalidating Scorzonera ahmet-duranii and describing S. nikferica (Asteraceae) from Turkey as a new species, with insights into their taxonomic relationships based on ISSR markers.

ANNALES BOTANICI FENNICI, cilt.63, sa.1, ss.152-163, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)

Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
Cilt numarası: 63 Sayı: 1
Basım Tarihi: 2026
Doi Numarası: 10.5735/085.063.0122
Dergi Adı: ANNALES BOTANICI FENNICI
Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Biomedical Reference Collection: Corporate Edition (EBSCO), Scopus, Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Artic & Antarctic Regions, BIOSIS
Sayfa Sayıları: ss.152-163
Akdeniz Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

This study provides an integrative taxonomic assessment of Scorzonera ahmetduranii

and describes S. nikferica O.D.Düşen & Göktürk (Asteraceae) as a new species

endemic to south-western Anatolia. Morphological comparisons of herbarium

specimens from Turkish and European populations confirm that S. ahmet-duranii

is distinct from S. humilis, with which it was previously synonymised. During field

surveys conducted between 2017 and 2025 on Bozdağ Mountain (Denizli, Turkey),

we encountered a morphologically unique population on serpentinite stony slopes at

1655 m a.s.l. The new species resembles S. ahmet-duranii but differs from it in stem

indumentum, leaf morphology, floccosity, involucral phyllary proportions and ligule

length. ISSR analyses of the studied taxa produced 117 loci with 75.2% polymorphism

and revealed significantly higher interspecific genetic distances (0.699–0.732)

compared to intraspecific variation (≤ 0.113). UPGMA clustering clearly separated

individuals into two distinct clades. These integrative findings support recognition of

S. nikferica as a distinct lineage. With fewer than 50 mature individuals and a restricted

distribution, it is assessed as Critically Endangered (CR) under IUCN criteria.