Lamium cappadocicum, a New Species From Central Anatolia, Turkey: Evidence From Molecular and Morphological Studies

Abstract

Lamium is a taxonomically convoluted genus of about 34 species. Within Lamium, the L. garganicum species complex is particularly challenging. Here, based on morphological and molecular studies, Lamium cappadocicum Celep & Karaer sp. nova (Lamiaceae) is separated from L. garganicum and L. bilgilii and described as a new species, and L. garganicum subsp. rectum (= L. garganicum subsp. pulchrum) is resurrected. The new species is only known from the Hasan Mountain (Aksaray) in Central Anatolia, Turkey. Lamium cappadocicum is closely related to L. garganicum subsp. rectum but differs from it by its mat-forming caespitose habit, reniform (rarely ovate in upper part) and deeply cordate leaves with dense white villous hairs, deeply crenate and undulate leaf margins, subglabrous to sparsely pilose stems, and densely white villous calyces. Lamium cappadocicum also differs from L. bilgilii by its mat -forming caespitose habit, smaller corollas (25-33 mm versus 40-52 mm in L. bilgilii), subglabrous to sparsely pilose stems and smaller leaves (3-20 (-30) mm long x 3-20 (-30) mm wide, versus 5-45 mm long x 5-45 mm wide in L. bilgilii). Molecular phylogenetic analyses from nuclear ribosomal (nrITS) and chloroplast (matK, rpoA and psbA-trnH) gene regions support the morphological results. The IUCN conservation status, ecology, phenology, etymology, and notes on biogeography of the new species are also given and diagnostic features are discussed.