Barış Özüdoğru

Multiple fire-related cues stimulate germination in Chaenorhinum rubrifolium (Plantaginaceae), a rare annual in the Mediterranean Basin

In Mediterranean fire-prone ecosystems, annual species specific to post-fire habitats should have a soil seed bank and should be able to germinate after a fire. Therefore, various fire-related cues can be expected to stimulate germination in post-fire annuals. Germination patterns of the rare annual Chaenorhinum rubrifolium (Plantaginaceae) were examined in response to mechanical scarification, heat shock, aqueous smoke, nitrogenous compounds, gibberellic acid, karrikinolide (KAR 1 ), and mandelonitrile (a cyanohydrin analogue, MAN) under dark and photoperiod conditions in the laboratory. Combinations of these treatments were also included in the experiment. Strong physiological dormancy in the seeds of C. rubrifolium was partially broken by several fire-related germination cues, including smoke and nitrate, under light conditions. KAR 1 and MAN also stimulated germination, and the highest improvement in germination was achieved in the KAR 1 treatment in the presence of light. Heat shock + smoke and KAR 1 + MAN combinations had positive synergetic and additive effects on germination under light conditions, respectively. The light played a crucial role in the promotion of germination. The results suggest that multiple fire-related cues operate to stimulate germination in C. rubrifolium , an annual species from the Mediterranean Basin. However, the species may have a broader germination niche than a fire-restricted one.

Tribal assignment of Heldreichia Boiss. (Brassicaceae): evidence from nuclear ITS and plastidic ndhF markers

Heldreichia Boiss. is a monospecific genus mainly distributed in Anatolia and the Lebanon. Although morphological variation and infrageneric phylogenetic relationships were recently studied in detail, Heldreichia remained as one of the few orphan genera that have not yet been assigned to any tribe. In the current study, we used sequence data from the nuclear ITS and chloroplast ndhF regions of Heldreichia and representatives of main Brassicaceae lineages and tribes to determine its tribal affiliation. Bayesian-based phylogenetic analyses clearly show with high support that Heldreichia is a member of the recently expanded tribe Biscutelleae. Furthermore, we characterize the tribe Biscutelleae morphologically and provide a determination key for all its genera.

Astragalus pseudopinetorum (Fabaceae), a New Species from Turkey

Astragalus pseudopinetorum Taeb, Özüdoğru & Erik sp. nova (Fabaceae), endemic to the Hakkâri province of E Turkey, is described and illustrated. It belongs to A. sect. Caprini and is morphologically related to A. kamelinii. A characteristic feature is the whole plant being glabrous, with just a few scattered white hairs on the rachis and pedicels.

Taxonomic notes on the genus Chaenorhinum (Plantaginaceae) in Turkey

Abstract Chaenorhinum gerense is an eastern Mediterranean species with rare distribution and a large variety in plant and seed morphology. In this study, the accuracy of the taxonomic status of this species, which was initially reported by P.H. Davis as C. rubrifolium from south eastern Turkey, is discussed and the typical representatives of C. rubrifolium were collected for the first time for Turkey from Muğla province, southwestern Anatolia. C. gerense is closely related to the C. rubrifolium, from which it differs by having a small and cream corolla with red blotch, capsule as long as or smaller 1/2-calyx teeth and triangular or rectangular blunt crest on seed. Detailed descriptions and identification keys for these two taxa are provided.

Arabis watsonii (P.H.Davis) F.K.Mey.: An overlooked cruciferous species from eastern Anatolia and its phylogenetic position

Abstract Arabis watsonii (P.H.Davis) F.K.Mey. was initially reported as Thlaspi watsonii P.H.Davis in Flora of Turkey. Although F.K.Meyer transferred this species to Arabis L., this species has been overlooked and treated as Thlaspi L. in relevant literature for Flora of Turkey. In this study this species was evaluated using molecular (nuclear ITS and plastidic trnL-F sequences) and morphological data. Results clearly show that Arabis watsonii is sister to the Arabis hirsuta aggregate and its relatives. In conclusion, our results increased the number of known Arabis species in Turkey to 23. Furthermore, detailed description and distribution of the species are given and a new IUCN threat category for Arabis watsonii is proposed.