Aristolochia altanii İlçim & Behçet sp. nov. is described from Turkey and illustrated. The specimens were collected from Kahramanmaraş in South Anatolia. The new species is closely related to A. guichardii and A. brevilabris. However, this species differs in some important characteristics, such as the length of the pedicel and the perianth, the indument of the perianth limb, and the micromorphology of the pollen and the seeds. The diagnostic characters are discussed and taxonomic comments are presented. | Turkish Journal of Botany Turk J Bot (2015) 39: 835-840 © TÜBİTAK doi: Research Article Aristolochia altanii (Aristolochiaceae), a new species from Turkey 1, 1 2 3 Ahmet İLÇİM *, Lütfi BEHÇET , Aycan TOSUNOĞLU Department of Biology, Science and Arts Faculty, Mustafa Kemal University, Antakya, Turkey 2 Department of Biology, Science and Arts Faculty, Bingöl University, Bingöl, Turkey 3 Department of Biology, Science and Arts Faculty, Uludağ University, Bursa, Turkey Received: Accepted/Published Online: Printed: Abstract: Aristolochia altanii İlçim & Behçet sp. nov. is described from Turkey and illustrated. The specimens were collected from Kahramanmaraş in South Anatolia. The new species is closely related to A. guichardii and A. brevilabris. However, this species differs in some important characteristics, such as the length of the pedicel and the perianth, the indument of the perianth limb, and the micromorphology of the pollen and the seeds. The diagnostic characters are discussed and taxonomic comments are presented. Key words: Aristolochia, taxonomy, Flora of Turkey 1. Introduction According to González et al. (2014), the Aristolochiaceae consist of ca. 550 species in four genera. The genera are grouped in two subfamilies, the Asaroideae and the Aristolochioideae. The current classification within the family is based on molecular phylogenetic evidence that is congruent with inflorescent and floral morphology (Wanke et al., 2006). According to the most recent molecular studies, Piperales are subdivided into two clades that are named according to the presence or absence of a perianth. Piperaceae and Saururaceae belong to the perianth-less clade, whereas Aristolochiaceae, Lactoridaceae, and Hydnoraceae form the perianth-bearing clade (Naumann et al., 2013). Within the latter, the following genera are included: Aristolochia, Asarum, Hydnora, Lactoris, Prosopanche,
