Scilla siberica Haw. subsp. armena (Grossh.) Mordak (Liliaceae) has not been previously reported among the flora of Lebanon. In spring 2005 it was collected from the rocky cliffs of a natural rocky bridge in the high mountain zone of the Mount Lebanon Range. | Turk J Bot 31 (2007) 263-264 © TÜB‹TAK Research Note A New Record from Lebanon: Scilla siberica Haw. subsp. armena (Grossh.) Mordak (Liliaceae) Ricardus M. HABER, Myrna T. SEMAAN* Centre for Environmental Development, Awareness, and Research (.), PO BOX 967, Jounieh, LEBANON Received: Accepted: Abstract: Scilla siberica Haw. subsp. armena (Grossh.) Mordak (Liliaceae) has not been previously reported among the flora of Lebanon. In spring 2005 it was collected from the rocky cliffs of a natural rocky bridge in the high mountain zone of the Mount Lebanon Range. Key Words: Biodiversity, Liliaceae, flora, Lebanon, Mediterranean Introduction Genus Scilla L. is represented in Lebanon by 4 species: S. hanburyi Baker, S. autumnalis L., S. hyacinthoides L., and S. cilicica Siehe (Post, 1932; Mouterde, 1966). The first 2 taxa are autumn flowering plants, while the second 2 are spring flowering. Their inflorescence is denser than that of S. siberica Haw. subsp. armena (Grossh) Mordak, which comprises 1-2 flowers (Mordak, 1984). S. siberica subsp. armena is an Irano-Turanian element; its geographical distribution encompasses Turkey, Georgia, and Soviet Armenia (Mordak, 1984). While surveying the flora of a habitat composed of eroded rock faces in the high mountain zone of Lebanon, single-flowered Scilla specimens were discovered inhabiting the rocks. Thorough morphological analysis supported the taxonomic identity of S. siberica subsp. armena. Results and Discussion Scilla siberica Haw. in Bot. Reposit. 6: t. 365 (1804), subsp. armena (Grossh.) Mordak in Bot. Zhurn. 56:1450 (1971). Synonym: S. armena Grossh. in Monit. Jard. Bot. Tiflis ser. 2, 3:198 (1927). Figure 1. Examined specimens: Lebanon: Kesrouan Province: Kfarzubyan - Jisr el Hajar, 1667 m, lat 33°59'''N, long 35°49'''E, 12 April 2005, R. Haber and M. Semaan, no. 3539 (BEI). Bulb cm diameter, tunics fuscous; leaves 2-3, linear 60-80 x 5-7 mm; scapes 1-3, 10-11 cm; .
