A peer-reviewed open-access journal PhytoKeys 62: 83–93 (2016)Allium ekimianum: a new species (Amaryllidaceae) from Turkey 83 doi: 10.3897/phytokeys.62.7796 RESEARCH ARTICLE http://phytokeys.pensoft.net Launched to accelerate biodiversity research Allium ekimianum: a new species (Amaryllidaceae) from Turkey Gülnur Ekşi1, Mehmet Koyuncu2, Ayşe Mine Gençler Özkan1 1 Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey 2 Faculty of Pharmacy, Cyprus International University, Haspolat-Lefkoşa, Cyprus Corresponding author: Gülnur Ekşi (
[email protected]) Academic editor: C. Morden | Received 15 January 2016 | Accepted 28 March 2016 | Published 6 April 2016 Citation: Ekşi G, Koyuncu M, Özkan AMG (2016) Allium ekimianum: a new species (Amaryllidaceae) from Turkey. PhytoKeys 62: 83–93. doi: 10.3897/phytokeys.62.7796 Abstract Allium ekimianum is described here as a new species. This taxon belongs to the genus Allium section Allium and grows in Elazığ Province (East Anatolia, Turkey). It is a narrowly distributed species and morphologically most similar to A. asperiflorumand A. sintenisii, and A. erzincanicum but it is clearly differentiated due to the curved stem, smooth pedicel surfaces, bracteole arrangements at pedicel bases, tepal lengths and surfaces. In this study, a comprehensive description, distribution map of A. ekimianum, identification key, and detailed illustrations are provided for A. ekimianum and related taxa. Keywords Allium, section Allium, endemic species, taxonomy, Turkey Introduction The genus Allium L. is one of the largest monocotyledonous genera with c. 900 spe- cies distributed world-wide (Govaerts et al. 2013, Keusgen et al. 2011). The genus was formerly included in the Liliaceae family, but the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG) reassessed the taxonomic position of this genus and finally Allium was placed in the Amaryllidaceae family (APG III 2009).