Phytotaxa 188 (2): 103–111 ISSN 1179-3155 (print edition) www.mapress.com/phytotaxa/ PHYTOTAXA Copyright © 2014 Magnolia Press Article ISSN 1179-3163 (online edition) http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.188.2.4 Crocus yaseminiae (Iridaceae) a new species from South Anatolia, Turkey OSMAN EROL1*, LEVENT CAN2 & ORHAN KÜÇÜKER1 1Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Istanbul University, 34116, Istanbul, Turkey; e-mail:
[email protected] 2Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky-University Oldenburg, D-26111, Oldenburg, Germany. *author for correspondence Abstract Crocus yaseminiae is described as a new species from Alanya province in South Anatolia. A short literature history of the closely related taxon Crocus isauricus Siehe ex Bowles (≡ Crocus biflorus subsp. isauricus (Siehe ex Bowles) Mathew) is given together with a lectotypification of its name, and a discussion of the type specimen and locus classicus. Diagnostic characters were discussed of the taxa belonging to the “isauricus group” (C. biflorus subsp. isauricus, C. roseoviolaceus, C. mersinensis, C. taseliensis, and C. karamanensis). Fenugreek scented flowers are reported for the first time for the genus. Key words: Asparagales, Crocus biflorus subsp. isauricus, Fenugreek odour, Lectotypification Introduction Crocus biflorus Miller (1768: 4) subsp. isauricus (Siehe ex Bowles 1924: 126) Mathew (1982: 82) varies throughout its distribution and is endemic to Turkey, whereupon the epithet indicates a mountainous area that is in between the gulf of Antalya and the gulf of Mersin in South Turkey, which was known as “Isauria” in classical times. Although Bowles (1924) described the taxon and introduced it to the literature, the plant was first collected by Walter Siehe from the Cilician Taurus Mountains in 1907.